}U\     8  191  n 


A. 


BV  4511  .M9  1917  ] 

Murray,  J.  Lovell  1874- 
Christian  standards  in  life! 


COLLEGE     VOLUNTARY     STUDY     COURSES 


FIRST  YEAR— PART  II 

Christian  Standards  in  Life 

^  ^  i      JUL   8  191  p 

J.  LovELL  Murray  A,  ^ 

Educational  Secretary  Student  f^oIunteer^'M^^^^l  %^V^^ 

AND 

Frederick  m/Harris 

Secretary  Publication   Departmenty  International  Committee 
Young  Men^s  Christian  Associations 


Written  from  an  outline  prepared  by 

Sub-Committee    on    College    Courses 

Sunday  School    Council  of    Evangelical 

Denominations 

AND 

Committee  on  Voluntary  Study 
Council  of  North  American  Student  Movementi 


^£(ssoctatton  $res:s( 

New    YoRKt    124    East    28th     Street 

London:    47    Paternoster    Row,  E.  C. 

1917 


BOOKS  IN  THE  SERIES 


First  Year: 


Part  I — Student  Standards  of  Action,  by  Harrison  S.  Elliott 
and  Ethel  Cutler. 

Part  II — Christian   Standards  in  Life,  by  J.   Lovell  Murray 
and  Frederick  M.  Harris. 

Second  Year: 

Part  I — A  Life  At  Its  Best,  by  Richard  Henry  Edwards  and 
Ethel  Cutler. 

Part  II — A  Challenge  to  Life  Service,  by  Frederick  M.  Harris 
and  Joseph  C.  Robbins. 

Third  Year: 

(In  course  of  preparation.) 

Fourth  Year: 

Part  I — The  Social  Principles  of  Jesus,  by  Walter  Rauschen- 
busch. 

Part  II — Christianizing  Community  Life,  by  Harry  F.  Ward 
and  Richard  Henry  Edwards. 


COPYRIGHT,    1915,    BY 

THE    INTERNATIONAL    COMMITTEE    OF 

YOUNG    men's    christian    ASSOCIATIONS 

The  Bible  Text  printed  in  short  measure  (indented  both  sides)  is  taken 
from  the  American  Standard  Edition  of  the  Revised  Bible,  copyright,  1901, 
by  Thomas  Nelson  &  Sons,  and  is  used  by  permission. 


CONTENTS 

chapter  page 

Introduction 5 

I.     Enthusiasm  for  Service 

Arthur  Frame  Jackson 7 

II.    Responsibility  for  the  Way  Others  Live 

Jacob  Riis 21 

III.  A  Fearless  Messenger 

George  Leslie  Mackay 33 

IV.  Everyday  Friendliness 

John  Woolman      .    .    .     , 45 

V.     The  Triumph  of  Loyalty 

Isabella  Thoburn 59 

VI.     Stewardship  in  Daily  Living 

William  Whiting  Borden       73 

VII.     The  Gospel  of  a  Second  Chance 

Samuel  Hopkins  Hadley 87 

VIII.     The  Aggressiveness  of  Christian  Faith 

Adoniram  Judson       102 

IX.     Training  for  vSocial  Efficiency 

Mary  Lyon 116 

X.     The  Pioneer's  Chance 

James  Robertson       130 

XI.     Obedience  to  a  Commanding  Purpose 

Samuel  John  Mills 146 

XII.     Joy  and  Freedom  in  Religion 

Phillips  Brooks 162 


INTRODUCTION 

This  text-book  is  planned  for  the  use  of  students  in  colleges, 
universities,  and  normal  schools,  both  for  personal  study  and 
in  voluntary  discussional  classes.  Each  chapter  is  divided 
into  three  sections :  Daily  Readings,  Study  for  the  Week, 
and  Suggestions  for  Thought  and  Discussion.  Each  week's 
work  gathers  round  a  central  theme  which  is  first  developed 
in  the  daily  readings.  These  are  intended  as  a  basis  for 
daily  thoughtful  Bible  reading  and  prayer,  usually  known  as 
the  Morning  Watch.  The  Study  for  the  Week  is  a  biograph- 
ical sketch  illustrating  from  some  great  life  the  application 
of  the  theme  of  the  chapter.  The  Suggestions  for  Thought 
and  Discussion  present  a  series  of  suggestive  questions  as  a 
review  of  the  week's  work. 

The  authors  desire  to  make  special  acknowledgment  to 
the  members  of  the  Committee  on  Voluntary  Study  of  the 
North  American  Student  Council  and  the  Sub-Committee  on 
College  Courses  of  the  Sunday  School  Council  of  Evangelical 
Denominations.  The  assistance  of  the  members  of  these 
Committees  has  been  absolutely  essential.  In  addition  many 
others  have  given  extremely  valuable  suggestions,  greatly 
improving  the  manuscript. 

COLLEGE  VOLUNTARY  STUDY  COURSES 

"Christian  Standards  In  Life"  Is  the  second  of  a  series  of 
text-books  known  as  College  Voluntary  Study  Courses.  The 
general  outline  for  this  curriculum  has  been  prepared  by  the 
Committee  on  Voluntary  Study  of  the  Council  of  North 
American  Student  Movements,  representing  the  Student 
Young  Men's  and  Young  Women's  Christian  Associations 
and  the  Student  Volunteer  Movement,  and  the  Sub-Com- 
mittee on  College  Courses  of  the  Sunday  School  Council  of 
Evangelical    Denominations,    representing    twenty-nine    com- 

5 


INTRODUCTION 

munions.  Therefore  the  text-books  are  planned  for  the  use 
of  student  classes  in  the  Sunday  School,  as  well  as  for  the 
supplementary  groups  on  the  campus.  The  present  text-book 
has  been  written  under  the  direction  of  these  Committees. 

The  text-books  are  not  suitable  for  use  in  the  academic 
curriculum,  as  they  have  been  definitely  planned  for  volun- 
tary study  classes. 

This  series,  covering  four  years,  will  form  a  minimum 
curriculum  for  the  voluntary  study  of  the  Bible,  foreign  mis- 
sions, and  North  American  problems.  Daily  Bible  Readings 
will  be  printed  with  each  text-book.  The  student  viewpoint 
will  be  given  first  emphasis — what  are  the  student  interests, 
what  are  the  student  problems? 

SUGGESTIONS  TO  THE  GROUP 

The  most  interesting  and  effective  discussions  in  the  group 
or  class  are  possible  only  when  the  members  have  studied  the 
lessons  personally.  The  text,  first,  has  brief  Daily  Readings 
as  the  basis  of  a  growing  friendship  with  God.  The  readings 
for  each  week  are  numbered  i  to  7,  intended  for  the  first 
day,  second  day,  etc.  The  Study  for  the  Week  is  intended 
as  the  basis  of  a  longer  period  of  study,  once  a  week  when 
more  extended  and  careful  attention  can  be  devoted  to  the 
week's  problem  and  Bible  passages. 

The  Suggestions  for  Thought  and  Discussion  are  arranged 
in  the  order  of  a  lesson  plan,  with  a  few  main  heads  and 
several  sub-topics  or  questions.  There  are  many  more  of 
these  sub-topics  than  any  group  could  use;  those  more 
pertinent  to  the  local  college  situation  should  be  selected. 
In  any  case,  these  are  intended  only  as  suggestions. 

Several  quotations  have  been  made  from  modern  versions 
of  the  Scripture  by  permission  of  the  publishers :  Weymouth's 
"New  Testament  in  Modern  Speech,"  Pilgrim  Press;  James 
Moffatt's  "New  Translation  of  the  New  Testament,"  George 
H.  Doran  Co. 


CHAPTER  I 

ENTHUSIASM   FOR  SERVICE 

ARTHUR  FRAME  JACKSON 

Daily  Readings 

Alone  among  the  religions  of  the  world,  Christianity  is  a 
religion  of  serviceableness.  Indeed  service  is  central  in 
Christianity.  The  more  a  Christian  directs  his  life  on  a 
service  basis  the  more  natural  and  sincere  his  religion 
becomes. 

I.     The  Christian  life  is  the  normal,  wholesome  life 

There  are  some  men  whose  Christianity  has  such  simplicity 
and  sincerity  and  wholesomeness  that  instinctively  we  say, 
"There,  that's  the  kind  of  a  Christian  I  want  to  be."  Pro- 
fessor Johnston  Ross,  who  was  Jackson's  pastor,  writes  of 
him:  "As  Arthur  and  I  used  to  sit  together  in  front  of  my 
study  fire,  talking  over  the  things  of  the  Christian  life,  I 
would  look  at  his  superb  physique  and  strong  simplicity  and 
thank  God  that  I  had  seen  one  young  man  who  was  the 
beau  ideal  of  Christian  manhood." 

Behold  what  manner  of  love  the  Father  hath  be- 
stowed upon  us,  that  we  should  be  called  children  of 
God;  and  such  we  are.  For  this  cause  the  world 
knoweth  us  not,  because  it  knew  him  not.  Beloved, 
now  are  we  children  of  God,  and  it  is  not  yet  made 
•  manifest  what  we  shall  be.  We  know  that,  if  he 
shall  be  manifested,  we  shall  be  like  him;  for  we 
shall  see  him  even  as  he  is. — I  John  3 :  i,  2. 

It  is  a  most  natural  thing  to  be  a  Christian. 

7 


[1-2]  CHRISTIAN  STANDARDS  IN  LIFE 

2.  What  is  the  secret  of  a  joyous  Christian  life? 

Jackson  found  the  reality  of  Christ's  companionship. 
Therefore  he  could  not  regard  prayer  as  an  empty  form  nor 
the  study  of  the  Bible  as  a  duty  imposed  from  without. 
Prayer  and  meditation  and  Bible  reading  were  simply  normal 
expressions  of  a  growing  friendship  with  Jesus. 

No  longer  do  I  call  you  servants;  because  a  servant  does 
not  know  what  his  master  is  doing;  but  I  have,  called  you 
friends,  because  all  that  I  have  heard  from  the  Father  I 
have  made  known  to  you.  It  is  not  you  who  chose  me,  but 
it  is  I  who  chose  you  and  appointed  you  that  you  might  go 
and  be  fruitful  and  that  your  fruit  might  remain;  so  that 
whatever  petition  you  present  to  the  Father  in  my  name 
?\e  may  give  you. —  (John  15:15,  16. — Weymouth.) 

:     Have  we  found  this  secret? 

3.  Is  service  an  essential  element  of  friendship? 

Many  a  student  makes  a  loud  claim  to  friendship  but 
contradicts  it  by  a  perpetual  demand  for  the  consideration 
of  his  own  interests.  Is  such  a  man  ever  a  real  friend?  How 
did  Jesus  show  His  friendship? 

I  For  the  Son  of  man  also  came  not  to  be  ministered 

unto,  but  to  minister,  and  to  give  his  life  a  ransom 
for  many. — Mark   10 :  45. 

Can  a  man  he  a  friend  and  not  serve? 

4.  It  is  through  service  that  men  rise  to  greatness 

Many,  like  the  sons  of  Zebedee  (Mark  10:35-37),  seek 
greatness  through  preferment.  Jesus  held  that  service  was 
the  highroad  to  real  greatness.  "Ich  dien"  is  the  motto  of  a 
prince. 

8 


ENTHUSIASM  FOR  SERVICE  [Is] 

And  Jesus  called  them  to  him,  and  saith  unto  them, 
Ye  know  that  they  who  are  accounted  to  rule  over 
the  Gentiles  lord  it  over  them;  and  their  great  ones 
exercise  authority  over  them.  But  it  is  not  so  among 
you :  but  whosoever  would  become  great  among  you, 
shall  be  your  minister ;  and  whosoever  would  be 
first  among  you,  shall  be  servant  of  all. — Mark 
10 :  42-44. 

Judged  by  Jesus'  standards,  are  we  on  the  road  to  kingly 
greatness? 

5.  Do  we  have  to  die  in  order  to  give  our  lives  for  others? 

For  scarcely  for  a  righteous  man  will  one  die:  for 
peradventure  for  the  good  man  some  one  would  even 
dare  to  die.  But  God  commendeth  his  own  love 
toward  us,  in  that,  while  we  were  yet  sinners,  Christ 
died  for  us. — Rom.  5  :  7,  8. 

For  God  so  loved  the  world,  that  he  gave  his  only 
begotten  Son,  that  whosoever  believeth  on  him  should 
not  perish,  but  have  eternal  life. — John  3 :  16. 

"He  died  for  us,"  the  Chinese  said  of  Arthur  Jackson. 
Suppose  he  had  not  caught  the  plague,  would  he  have  as 
truly  given  his  life  for  the  Chinese? 

For  some,  death  is  the  climax  of  human  sacrifice;  for 
Jackson  it  was  an  incident  in  a  life  of  vicarious  service. 

6.  Service  at  its  best  is  habitual,  not  extraordinary 

The  passion  to  serve  does  not  wait  for  emergencies  or 
great  occasions,  but  finds  its  natural  and  frequent  expression 
in  the  ordinary  service  of  others. 

Have  this  mind  in  you,  which  was  also  in  Christ 
Jesus ;  who,  existing  in  the  form  of  God,  counted 
not  the  being  on  an  equality  with  God  a  thing  to  be 
grasped,  but  emptied  himself,  taking  the  form  of  a 
servant. — Phil.  2 :  5-7. 

9 


[1-7]  CHRISTIAN  STANDARDS  IN  LIFE 

In  the  service  which  lost  him  his  life,  Dr.  Jackson  would 
never  have  said  that  he  was  doing  any  more  than  many 
another  physician  would  have  done.  It  was  simply  that  the 
opportunity  came  to  him  in  the  regular  round  of  his  work. 

//  he  had  been  in  the  habit  of  shirking,  would  he  have 
dared  to  do  his  duty  here? 

7,     The  life  laid  down  in  service  never  dies 

The  interruption  in  the  service  of  Jackson  is  God's  mystery, 
but  not  His  blunder.  Raymond  Lull  once  said :  "He  that 
loves  not  lives  not;  and  he  that  lives  by  the  Life  can  never 
die." 

Except  a  grain  of  wheat  fall  into  the  earth  and  die, 
it  abideth  by  itself  alone;  but  if  it  die,  it  beareth 
much   fruit. — John   12  :  24. 

And  the  world  passeth  away,  and  the  lust  thereof: 
but  he  that  doeth  the  will  of  God  abideth  for  ever. — 
I  John  2:17. 

It  was  said  of  one  whose  life  was  worth  listening  to: 

"His  song  was  only  living  aloud. 
His  work,  a  singing  with  his  hand." 

And  the  song  of  Jackson's  life  was  not  stilled  the  day  he 
ceased  guarding  the  Moukden  railway  station.  It  sounds  a 
call  to  service  that  has  gone  farther  than  any  word  he 
ever  spoke. 

Do  we  so  live  Christ? 

Study  for  the  Week 

Every  campus  boasts  its  "all-round  students."  There  are 
indeed  many  students  who  are  faithful  in  giving  first  atten- 
tion to  scholarship,  but  who  excel  in  other  things  also.  But 
the  all-round  student  of  vigorous  personality  and  strong 
leadership    and    symmetrical    Christian    character    is    not    so 

10 


ENTHUSIASM  FOR  SERVICE  [I-s] 

frequently  found.  Arthur  Jackson  was  one  of  these.  He 
attained  prominence  in  many  college  activities.  But  he  stood 
not  only  for  a  sound  mind  and  a  sound  body,  but  for  sound 
religion  in  control  of  a  sound  mind  in  a  sound  body. 

He  was  exceedingly  influential.  One  reason  for  this  was 
contagious  good  nature.  Another  was  his  utter  naturalness 
and  sincerity.  He  did  not  affect  gaiety  to  round  out  his 
temperament  nor  cultivate  athletics  to  extend  his  influence. 
He  was  not  pious  in  prayer  meeting  and  he  was  religious  on 
the  football  field.  He  played  Soccer  and  Rugby  because  he 
thoroughly  enjoyed  them,  and  he  sang  comic  songs  because 
he  liked  comic  songs.  But  the  chief  reason  for  his  excep- 
tional influence  was  his  passion  to  be  of  service. 

Just  before  he  sailed  for  China  in  1910,  a  friend  said, 
"Arthur,  I  pray  that  God  may  bless  you  from  your  first  day 
as  a  missionary  in  Moukden,  throughout  what  we  hope  will 
be  a  long  and  busy  career."  And  Jackson  replied,  "Thank 
you,  very,  very  much.  I  can  do  nothing  without  Him,  but 
/  am  eager  to  serve."  There  you  have  it.  There  was  not  a 
particle  of  cant  in  those  words,  but  they  epitomized  his 
character  and  announced  the  unifying  principle  of  his  life. 
He  was  eager  to  serve. 

I 

Some  men  are  diligent  students  because  they  love  books 
and  mental  effort,  some  because  they  are  pressed  by  a  sense 
of  duty,  and  some  because  they  are  ambitious  to  be  un- 
beaten. Jackson  worked  hard  for  all  three  reasons  and  for 
a  fourth  and  greater — because  he  wanted  the  best  possible 
foundation  for  later  service.  Impelled  by  such  motives,  he 
was  a  fine  student.  He  left  Merchant  Taylors'  School  in 
Crosby,  having  won  the  "blue  riband,"  the  great  Crosby 
Scholarship,  and  also  an  Open  Science  Scholarship  at  Peter- 
house  (Saint  Peter's  College),  Cambridge.  At  the  Univer- 
sity he  secured  a  First  in  each  of  the  yearly  examinations 
and    "went    down"    from    Cambridge    with    a    First    in    the 

II 


[I-s]  CHRISTIAN  STANDARDS  IN  LIFE 

Science  Tripos.  This  alone  would  be  distinction  enough; 
but  Jackson,  then  only  twenty-one  years  of  age,  had  also 
passed  the  first  part  of  his  third  examination  in  medicine. 
To  do  all  this  required  both  remarkable  ability  and  intense 
work.  From  Cambridge  he  went  to  Liverpool  to  study  at 
the  Medical  School  of  the  University  and  at  the  Royal 
Infirmary.  He  was  graduated  first  of  his  class.  At  the 
Royal  "he  held  all  the  resident  posts  open  to  students  of  the 
Medical  School"  and  won  golden  opinions  on  all  sides  for  his 
work  in  medicine  and  surgery. 

But  he  found  ample  time  for  "side-lines."  He  was  a 
star  athlete.  At  Crosby  he  was  captain  of  the  Swimming 
Club.  He  was  the  best  oarsman  at  Peterhouse  in  his  day, 
rowing  on  the  crew  from  the  time  he  reached  the  University 
until  the  third  term  of  his  final  year.  "Jackson  has  shown 
the  best  example  of  hard  work,"  said  the  college  magazine, 
referring  to  his  work  on  the  crew.  Usually  he  rowed  No.  6. 
During  his  last  year  (1905)  he  was  Boat  Secretary.  He  got 
his  colors  in  Soccer,  where  he  played  at  outside  right,  by 
making  the  College  eleven  in  his  last  year.  But  most  of  all 
he  excelled  in  Rugby  football.  "Does  more  in  the  scrum 
than  in  the  open,  though  he  always  works  hard,"  was  the 
expert  judgment  of  him  during  his  first  year  at  Crosby.  A 
year  later  it  was  "A.  F.  Jackson,  a  heavy,  hardworking, 
conscientious  forward."  At  Cambridge  he  made  the  College 
team  in  his  first  year.  "Jackson  is  a  great  acquisition  to 
the  team.  A  glutton  for  work,"  was  the  verdict  of  the  Sex, 
the  College  magazine.  In  his  last  year  he  was  Captain  of 
the  team.  After  leaving  Cambridge  he  played  on  two  of 
the  leading  football  teams  of  Great  Britain. 

Another  of  his  many  activities  in  Cambridge  was  debating. 
He  was  a  vigorous  worker,  too,  in  the  Christian  Union — 
corresponding  to  the  Christian  Association  in  North  American 
colleges — holding  the  position  of  President  in  his  last  year. 
He  was  active  in  his  support  of  the  college  paper.  He  joined 
the  University  Volunteers.  Surely  Jackson  was  rightly  called 
an  all-round  man. 

12 


ENTHUSIASM  FOR   SERVICE  [I-s] 

II 

Enthusiasm  for  service  showed  itself  in  every  phase  of  his 
life.  In  athletics,  he  always  left  the  same  impression — the 
hardest  working  man  on  the  team,  but  never  a  spectacular 
player — always  in  it  for  the  glor>'  of  his  team,  or  his  college. 
He  represented  team  play,  the  spirit  of  service  in  athletics. 
The  same  characteristics  were  seen  in  debate,  in  the  Christian 
Union,  and  in  all  his  undergraduate  activities. 

Jackson's  zeal  to  be  of  service  was  of  dimensions  too  large 
for  one  University  campus.  He  assumed  various  duties  in 
Saint  Columba's  Presbyterian  Church  in  Cambridge  and,  dur- 
ing vacation,  was  a  stalwart  worker  in  the  Brassey  Street 
Mission  School  in  Claughton,  Birkenhead,  his  home  town. 

His  spirit  of  whole-souled  friendliness  made  this  service 
all  the  more  worth  while.  He  carried  on  a  personal  cam- 
paign of  friendship  wherever  he  happened  to  be.  In  the 
hospital  the  nurses  were  impressed  by  "his  unaffected  tender- 
ness and  sympathy  with  the  suffering  poor."  On  the  voyage 
to  China  he  fraternized  with  the  steerage  passengers  and 
arranged  services  for  them.  He  had  a  special  fondness  for 
being  with  children.  Put  him  anywhere  with  a  boy  and  they 
would  understand  each  other  at  once.  He  and  the  children 
on  board  the  steamer  were  fast  friends,  and  the  boys  and 
girls  in  Moukden  at  once  took  him  to  their  hearts.  He  went 
one  summer  as  medical  officer  to  a  boys'  camp  and  captivated 
the  boys  by  the  way  he  combined  jollification  and  religion. 

Ill 

Jackson  was  only  a  lad  of  sixteen  when  his  overwhelming 
realization  of  the  need  for  workers  in  non-Christian  lands 
compelled  his  decision  for  the  foreign  field.  Shortly  after, 
he  decided  that  there  was  iio  service  so  much  needed  as  that 
of  a  Christian  physician.  He  would  therefore  be  a  medical 
missionary.  True,  there  was  work  for  Christian  physicians 
in  England.     There  were  plenty  of  people  to  urge  him  to 

13 


[I-s]  CHRISTIAN  STANDARDS  IN  LIFE 

remain.  But  once  having  decided  his  life  work,  he  never 
shifted  ground   for  a  moment. 

After  taking  post-graduate  work  at  the  School  of  Tropical 
Medicine  in  Liverpool,  he  devoted  several  months  to  gaining 
medical  experience  in  different  parts  of  England.  The  United 
Free  Church  of  Scotland  then  accepted  him  as  a  missionary 
to  Manchuria. 

The  work  to  which  he  was  appointed  attracted  him  beyond 
words.  At  Moukden,  which  is  the  capital  of  Manchuria, 
and  probably  the  second  city  of  China,  a  splendid  hospital 
with  one  hundred  beds  had  just  been  built  to  replace  the 
one  that  had  been  destroyed  by  the  Boxers.  It  was  decided 
to  establish  a  Medical  School  in  connection  with  the  hospital, 
and  Dr.  Jackson  was  appointed  to  be  one  of  the  two  men 
who  should  lay  the  foundations  of  the  School.  Here  was  a 
strategic  opportunity  to  declare  and  live  the  Christian  gospel 
where  it  was  desperately  needed,  to  relieve  an  enormous 
amount  of  suffering,  and  to  multiply  his  life  most  usefully, 
while  helping  to  create  a  new  profession  in  Manchuria.  No 
sooner  did  he  reach  Moukden  than  he  threw  himself  with 
abandon  into  the  work  of  the  hospital  and  the  study  of  the 
language. 

Among  the  qualities  greatly  needed  for  the  trying,  intense 
work  of  the  foreign  missionary  are  a  heart  of  merriment  and 
a  social  aptitude.  Arthur  Jackson  had  both.  He  was  the 
soul  of  good-nature  and  good-humor.  He  had  a  keen  sense 
of  the  ridiculous.  He  replied  to  his  sister,  who  had  written 
of  her  dog's  illness,  prescribing  Sanatogen,  "which  combines 
the  properties  of  a  digestive  biscuit,  a  steel  tonic,  a  glass  of 
brandy,  a  mustard  poultice,  and  a  tin-tack,  in  a  teaspoon;  the 
tin-tack  is  the  stimulating  component."  He  created  great 
amusement  on  the  steamer  by  appearing  at  a  fancy  dress  ball 
in  the  character  of  a  lemon-cream  sandwich.  He  was 
everywhere  popular,  made  friends  quickly,  and  "never  grudged 
the  time  to  keep  his  friendships  in  repair."  His  letters  were 
sparkling.  He  was  a  good  talker,  but  a  much  better  listener. 
He  was  a  social  success  in  the  best  sense  of  the  term.     He 

14 


ENTHUSIASM  FOR  SERVICE  [Is] 

had  not  been  in   Moukden  long  before  he  was  a   favorite, 
among  Chinese  and  foreigners  alike. 

But  his  supreme  equipment  lay  in  the  quality  of  his  reli- 
gion. It  was  of  the  wholesome  kind  that  penetrates  to  the 
depths  and  yet  lies  on  the  surface  of  the  life.  It  was  natural 
and  spontaneous,  and  his  love  of  sincerity  amounted  to  a 
passion.  It  was  stroijgly  ethical,  though  far  from  ascetic. 
Nothing  could  allure  him  a  step  beyond  the  line  of  right  as 
he  saw  it,  and  he  preferred  to  leave  a  good  margin  between 
himself  and  the  line.  It  was  very  practical  too.  He  read 
religion  in  terms  of  service  and  perhaps  the  reason  that, 
thinker  though  he  was,  he  was  little  troubled  by  unbelief  was 
that  he  was  too  busy  to  doubt.  And  his  religion,  if  not 
mystical,  was  deeply  spiritual.  To  him  Christ  was  the  great 
reality  and  he  served  others  because  that  was  the  only  way 
that  he  knew  whereby  Christ  could  be  served.  He  was 
conscious  of  his  inner  needs  and  often  asked  his  friends  to 
pray  for  him.  "I  find  it  so  easy,"  he  wrote,  "to  sit  comfort- 
ably like  Simon  (the  Pharisee)  acknowledging  Christ  out- 
wardly, but  in  reality  patronizing  Him  instead  of  surrender- 
ing to  Him  my  all."  One  of  his  intimate  friends  says  that 
"his  supreme  desire  was  for  Christ-likeness."  He  was  a 
devout  believer  in  prayer.  What  a  combination  of  qualities 
to  ensure  success  in  any  profession ! 

IV 

In  1912  the  plague  broke  out  in  Manchuria.  Being  pneu- 
monic— as  distinguished  from  bubonic — plague,  it  was  ex- 
tremely virulent.  Not  only  was  every  attack  sharp  and  fatal, 
but  the  infection  was  pronounced  "abnormally  easy;  the 
breath  is  sufficient  to  convey  it ;  and  in  this  outbreak  infec- 
tion seems  to  have  spread  from  man  to  man."  No  wonder 
the  Moukden  authorities  were  alarmed  as  soon  as  the  first 
cases  were  reported  in  the  city.  The  Viceroy  made  Dr.  D. 
Christie,  a  medical  missionary,  his  special  adviser  and  formed 
a   Sanitary   Board.     It  was   determined  not  only  to   isolate 

15 


[I-s]  CHRISTIAN  STANDARDS  IN  LIFE 

cases  rigidly  and  enforce  the  strictest  precautions  within  the 
city,  but  also  to  guard  the  railway  stations.  The  infected 
districts  were  in  the  north  and  hosts  of  coolies  were  travel- 
ing south  through  Moukden  to  keep  the  great  festival  of 
the  Chinese  New  Year.  Peking  and  the  whole  of  the  south 
were  liable  to  infection.  Some  medical  man  was  needed  to 
place  himself  at  the  railway  station  to  examine  all  who  came 
from  the  plague-stricken  areas.  Dr.  Jackson  volunteered  at 
once.  It  was  dangerous  business ;  a  doctor  in  Harbin  had 
already  died  of  the  disease.  But  here  was  an  opportunity 
with  a  vengeance  to  serve  the  Chinese.  The  plague  was  not 
going  to  spread  if  Jackson  could  help  it.  Nor  did  he  consider 
his  action  heroic.     "It  is  a  chance  few  fellows  get,"  he  said. 

He  took  up  his  quarters  at  the  railway  station  on  January 
14th  and  found  four  hundred  and  seventy  "suspects"  as 
his  first  charge.  From  the  17th  he  stayed  there  day  and 
night,  making  occasional  trips  into  the  city  to  confer  with 
Dr.  Christie.  His  dispensary  was  a  railway  carriage.  Several 
uncomfortable  Chinese  inns  nearby  were  used  to  house  the 
hundreds  of  coolies  who  were  "contact  cases."  Dr.  Jackson 
took  every  precaution.  He  was  vaccinated,  was  extremely 
careful  about  disinfection,  and  at  his  work  wore  "a  white 
overall  and  a  mask  and  hood  that  covered  his  face  and 
head,"  But  he  was  even  more  careful  of  his  two  associates, 
Mr.  Elder,  a  railway  inspector,  and  Mr.  Norman  Coppin. 
Mr.  Coppin  wrote:  "I  can  hear  him  saying,  'Stand  back, 
Elder;  don't  come  too  near,  Coppin,  it's  risky  and  there  is  no 
use  all  of  us  running  risks.' "  He  was  wonderfully  tender 
and  sympathetic  with  the  coolies.  "Many  a  poor  coolie," 
wrote  Mr.  Elder,  "received  the  support  of  the  doctor's  arm 
when  being  removed  to  the  hospital,  and  many  a  one  died 
the  easier  for  Dr.  Jackson  having  arranged  a  pillow  for 
his  head."  And  all  the  while  he  was  working  like  a  demon. 
In  addition  to  his  medical  duties  he  had  to  carry  a  vast 
amount  of  organization  work.  Only  a  man  of  phenomenal 
endurance  could  have  done  it  all. 

On  Monday,  January  2^,  he  discharged  sixty  coolies  "who 

16 


ENTHUSIASM  FOR   SERVICE  [I-s] 

owed  their  lives  to  his  care  in  isolation,"  and  arranged  for 
the  transfer  of  the  others  from  the  inns  to  a  large  quarantine 
station  which  he  had  provided.  Tuesday  morning  he  was 
ill  and  the  other  missionaries  became  alarmed.  The  Viceroy 
had  a  carriage  going  back  and  forth  to  keep  him  constantly 
informed  of  the  doctor's  condition.  That  evening,  while  Dr. 
A.  R.  Young,  of  the  Scotch  Presbyterian  Mission,  was  with 
him,  the  unmistakable  symptoms  appeared.  Suddenly  Jackson 
said,  "Look  out.  Young,  the  spit  has  come."  Poor  Coppin 
pleaded  to  be  allowed  to  stay  with  him  to  the  end.  "We've 
been  together  in  this  work  all  through,"  he  said,  "don't 
keep  me  away  from  him  now."  There  was,  of  course,  no  hope, 
and  next  evening  the  end  came,  just  ten  weeks  after  his 
arrival  at  Moukden.  The  Government  gave  a  large  piece  of 
ground  outside  the  city  as  a  burial  place,  and  in  the  snow, 
white  as  the  soul  that  had  gone,  they  dug  his  grave.  "And 
there  he  lies,  asking  for  no  man's  pity." 

All  China  was  saddened  yet  thrilled  by  the  lavish  offering 
of  so  splendid  a  life  in  her  behalf.  Her  feelings  were  uttered 
by  the  Viceroy,  Hsi  Liang,  a  Confucianist,  at  the  Memorial 
Service  which  he  and  the  British  Consul-General  had  ar- 
ranged and  which  was  held  at  the  Consulate: 

"We  have  shown  ourselves  unworthy  of  the  great  trust 
laid  upon  us  by  our  Emperor.  We  have  allowed  a  dire 
pestilence  to  overrun  the  sacred  capital.  His  Majesty  the 
King  of  Great  Britain  shows  sympathy  with  every  country 
when  calamity  overtakes  it;  his  subject,  Dr.  Jackson,  moved 
by  his  Sovereign's  spirit,  and  with  the  heart  of  the  Saviour, 
who  gave  his  life  to  deliver  the  world,  responded  nobly  when 
we  asked  him  to  help  our  country  in  its  need." 

Mr.  Alfred  J,  Costain  in  his  biography  of  Arthur  Jackson, 
after  quoting  these  words  and  two  similar  tributes,  also 
from  Chinese,  adds :  "To  me  the  remarkable  fact  about  these 
three  tributes  is  this — that  they  all  get  behind  his  sacrificial 
act  to  the  central  fact  of  the  Christian  religion.  The  eyes 
of  these  men  were  opened,  and  they  saw  another  Man,  and 

17 


[I-s]  CHRISTIAN  STANDARDS  IN  LIFE 

He  was  on  a  Cross.  Thus  in  a  day  Christ  Crucified  was 
preached  to  millions,  for  the  eyes  of  China  were  upon  Mouk- 
den  at  that  hour." 

In  the  Medical  College  in  Moukden  there  are  two  tangible 
memorials  to  this  martyr  doctor.  The  day  after  his  death, 
the  Viceroy  wrote  a  letter  regarding  him  to  Dr.  Christie. 
"His  heart  was  in  the  saving  of  the  world,"  he  said,  and  he 
went  on  to  describe  his  own  sorrow.  He  enclosed  ten 
thousand  dollars  for  Dr.  Jackson's  mother.  Mrs.  Robert 
Jackson  sent  the  gift  back  to  China  for  the  work  of  the 
Medical  College.  The  Viceroy  added  two  thousand  more 
and  the  total  sum  was  devoted  to  the  building  of  a  wing  to 
the  College.    On  a  tablet  of  beaten  copper  is  the  inscription — 

In  Memory  of 

ARTHUR  FRAME  JACKSON 

B.A.,  M.B.,  B.C.,  D.T.M., 

Who  came  to  teach  in  this  College 

Believing  that  by  serving  China  he  might  best  serve  God, 

And  who  laid  down  his  life  in  that  service 

ON  JANUARY  25th,  191 1,  AGED  26, 

While  striving  to  stay  the  advance  of  pneumonic  plague, 

The  Western  Half  of  This  Building  is  Erected 

BY 
MRS.   JACKSON,   HIS   MOTHER, 

AND 
HIS  EXCELLENCY  HSI  LIANG, 

Viceroy  of  Manchuria. 

In  addition  to  this,  a  fund  was  opened  in  Moukden  by  the 
British  Consul-General  to  establish  a  "Jackson  Memorial 
Chair"  in  the  College.  The  necessary  amount  was  raised 
from  gifts  in  China  and  England,  the  Viceroy  sending  five 
thousand  dollars  as  his  contribution. 

And  there,  are  other  and  more  enduring  memorials  of  this 
life.     "The  East  is  East  and  the  West  is  West,"  but  in  a 

18 


ENTHUSIASM  FOR   SERVICE  [I-s] 

flash  the  best  in  the  Occident  was  revealed  to  the  Orient 
and  the  day  of  the  ultimate  meeting  was  brought  nearer. 
And  as  the  flames  leaped  on  Jackson's  altar,  many  men  from 
feast  and  West  lighted  their  torches  there,  and  today  other 
living  sacrifices  are  being  offered. 

With  Jackson,  the  fires  of  sacrificial  service  were  always 
burning.  He  died  exactly  as  he  had  lived.  "He  died  for 
us,"  the  Chinese  said.  That  was  the  literal  truth.  While  he 
lived,  though  it  was  only  for  twenty-six  years,  he  had  lived 
for  others.    An4  now  for  others  he  had  died. 

For  further  reading — Alfred  J.  Costain  :  "The  Life  of  Dr. 
Arthur  Jackson  of   Manchuria." 

Suggestions  for  Thought  and  Discussion 

What  is  an  all-round  man? 

How  can  a  student  be  a  popular,  all-round  man  and  a 
sincere  Christian  at  the  same  time?  To  what  extent  did 
Jackson  exemplify  this  possibility? 

How  far  is  religion  necessary  to  a  happy,  normal  life? 

What  were  the  secrets  of  Jackson's  popularity  and  influence f 

Discuss  this  in  relation  to  his  fellow  students,  his  traveling 
companions,  the  Chinese. 

To  what  extent  are  different  or  additional  characteristics 
necessary  for  work  abroad  as  compared  to  work  at  home? 

How  would  you  state  the  essence  of  the  Christian  message 
Jackson  carried  to  the  Chinese? 

What  characteristic  do  you  think  contributed  most  toward 
Jackson's  popularity  and  influence? 

How  far  is  heroic  service  necessary  for  a  Christian  f 

What  was  there  in  being  a  Christian  physician  in  Manchuria 
that  appealed  to  a  person  of  Jackson's  characteristics? 

Was  Jackson  foolhardy  to  risk  his  life  in  the  plague? 
When  are  we  justified  in  not  stopping  to  count  the  cost? 

19 


[I-s]  CHRISTIAN  STANDARDS  IN  LIFE 

What  place  has  character  and  what  place  has  opportunity 
in  developing  the  hero? 

Who  was  influenced  more  by  Jackson's  death — the  Chinese 
or  the  students  at  Cambridge  and  Liverpool?     Why? 

What  was  the  essence  of  the  influence  of  Jackson's  life  and 
death  ? 

What  possibilities  in  the  college  this  year  have  there  been  of 
expressing  the  Christian  spirit  of  service? 

Additional  Topics  for  Investigation  and  Report 

Write  a  letter  such  as  Jackson  might  have  written  to  a 
former  medical  classmate  setting  forth  the  opportunities  of 
the  Christian  physician  in  China. 

What  do  you  infer  from  the  Viceroy's  speech  as  to  the 
spirit  and  method  in  which  the  Christian  Gospel  should  be 
presented  to  the  Chinese?  . 


20 


CHAPTER    II 

RESPONSIBILITY  FOR  THE  WAY 
OTHERS   LIVE 

JACOB   RIIS 

Daily  Readings 

He  who  has  really  seen  a  vision  of  a  better  world  cannot 
be  satisfied  with  leaving  this  one  as  it  is.  If  we  know  of  a 
better  life  for  others,  and  can  help  to  bring  it  about,  how 
can  we  bring  ourselves  to  say:  "It  is  their  business  and  not 
mine ;  let  them  look  after  themselves"  ?  Great  dreamers  are 
often  the  most  practical  of  people — Paul  of  Tarsus,  Joan  of 
Arc,  Napoleon  Bonaparte. 

1.  What  is  the  power  of  a  vision f 

Saul,  the  persecutor  of  Christians,  once  saw  a  vision  of  a 
new  service.    Long  afterward,  he  said  to  King  Agrippa : 

Wherefore,  O  king  Agrippa,  I  was  not  disobedient 
unto  the  heavenly  vision :  but  declared  both  to  them 
of  Damascus  first,  and  at  Jerusalem,  and  throughout 
all  the  country  of  Judsea,  and  also  to  the  Gentiles, 
that  they  should  repent  and  turn  to  God,  doing  works 
worthy  of  repentance. — Acts  26 :  19,  20. 

Why  do  we  not  set  about  making  our  dreams  of  service 
come  true? 

2.  How  do  we  know  that  things  are  not  right  around  us? 
We  who  have  seen  a  life  of  happiness  and  freedom  in  our 

21 


[II-3]         CHRISTIAN  STANDARDS  IN  LIFE 

homes  know  that  conditions  which  rob  a  person  of  privacy, 
prevent  his  cleanliness,  and  lay  his  health  open  to  constant 
danger  are  fundamentally  wrong.  Can  we  rest  comfortably 
while  these  conditions  obtain? 

Everyone  ought  to  consider  the  source  of  his  own  ideals. 
What  is  the  material  of  our  ideal  of  democracy?  of  home? 
of  friendship?     It  all  comes  largely  in  the  nature  of  a  gift. 

How  can  we  measure  progress  or  failure  in  society? 

3.  Even  if  our  dreams  cannot  come  true  now,  should  we 
stop  dreaming  them? 

We  may  see  no  immediate  way  to  change  conditions,  but 
that  is  no  reason  why  we  should  give  up  our  visions.  If  we 
are  compelled  for  a  time  to  stop  practical  measures,  we  need 
to  hold  our  ideals  clearer  than  ever.  A  great  ideal  is  based 
on  the  faith  that  God  wants  the  best  and  has  power  enough 
to  make  things  better  if  we  can  just  learn  how  to  make  it 
effective. 

By  faith  Abraham,  when  he  was  called,  obeyed  to 
go  out  unto  a  place  which  he  was  to  receive  for  an 
inheritance ;  and  he  went  out,  not  knowing  whither 
he  went.  By  faith  he  became  a  sojourner  in  the  land 
of  promise,  as  in  a  land  not  his  own,  dwelling  in 
tents,  with  Isaac  and  Jacob,  the  heirs  with  him  of 
the  same  promise. — Heb.   11:8,  9. 

Are  we  afraid  of  being  called  "impractical"?  Do  we 
believe   that  what  ought  to   he  in  college  must  he? 

4.  Great  dreams  have  heen  dreamed  in  worse  times  than 
ours 

During  the  earliest  days  of  Christianity  things  did  not 
look  very  bright  for  either  the  church  or  the  world.  Yet 
one  disciple  could  describe  the  future — 

And  I  saw  a  new  heaven  and  a  new  earth :  for  the 
22 


RESPONSIBILITY  FOR   OTHERS  [II-s] 

first  heaven  and  the  first  earth  are  passed  away; 
and  the  sea  is  no  more.  And  I  saw  the  holy  city, 
new  Jerusalem,  coming  down  out  of  heaven  from 
God,  made  ready  as  a  bride  adorned  for  her  husband. 
And  I  heard  a  great  voice  out  of  the  throne  saying, 
Behold,  the  tabernacle  of  God  is  with  men,  and  he 
shall  dwell  with  them,  and  they  shall  be  his  peoples, 
and  God  himself  shall  be  with  them,  and  be  their 
God:  and  he  shall  wipe  away  every  tear  from  their 
eyes ;  and  death  shall  be  no  more ;  neither  shall  there 
be  mourning,  nor  crying,  nor  pain,  any  more:  the 
first  things  are  passed  away. — Rev.  21 :  1-4. 

If  he  could  have  that  dream  then,  ought  we  not  to  have 
some  great  dreams  now?  Discouragement,  loneliness,  and 
suffering  have  never  served  to  dim  the  dreams  of  the  most 
heroic  men  and  women  of  the  past. 

In  an  era  of  hope,  among  good  friends,  in  comfortable 
and  wholesome  surroundings,  are  we  producing  finer  ideals? 


5.     College  life  ought  to  he  the  time  of  our  finest  dreams 

We  hate  to  admit  it  in  public,  but  we  all  have  our  times 
when  imagination  carries  us  away.  The  pity  about  older 
men  and  women  is  that  they  stop  having  the  dreams  of 
younger  days :  unfortunately  they  try  to  put  them  away. 
If  we  do  not  have  visions  and  ideals  in  college  we  may  find 
it  hard  to  have  them  later.  We  are  in  the  time  of  big  visions, 
in  the  place  of  big  visions.  Rightly  an  English  essayist 
pours  his  scorn  on  a  boy  in  a  story  who  is  dreaming  of 
owning  a  musty  old  manor-house  at  a  time  when  he  ought  to 
be  "owning  the  stars."  The  old  cynic  says,  "You'll  get  your 
visions  knocked  out  of  you  soon  enough."  Well,  let  us  have 
them  now,  anyway :  let  us  not  begin  by  being  small.  In 
after  life  we  shall  wish  many  times  for  the  freedom  and 
isolation  in  which  to  dream  that  we  now  enjoy. 

Are  we  taking  advantage  of  our  special  opportunities  to 
build  up  great  ideals? 

23 


[II-6]  CHRISTIAN  STANDARDS  IN  LIFE 

6.     What  is  the  mission  of  Christianity? 

The  Spirit  of  the  Lord  is  upon  me, 

Because  he  anointed  me  to  preach  good  tidings 

to   the   poor: 
He    hath    sent    me    to    proclaim    release    to    the 

captives, 
And  recovering  of  sight  to  the  blind. 
To  set  at  liberty  them  that  are  bruised, 
To  proclaim  the  acceptable  year  of  the  Lord. 

— Luke  4:18,  19. 

How  should  we  interpret  these  words  for  our  own  days? 


7,    Is  our  daily  living  determined  by  the  needs  of  others 
or  by  our  own? 

Paul  wrote  once  in  a  letter: 

Brethren,  even  if  a  man  be  overtaken  in  any  tres- 
pass, ye  who  are  spiritual,  restore  such  a  one  in  a 
spirit  of  gentleness ;  looking  to  thyself,  lest  thou  also 
be  tempted.  Bear  ye  one  another's  burdens,  and  so 
fulfil  the  law  of  Christ.  For  if  a  man  thinketh  him- 
self to  be  something  when  he  is  nothing,  he  deceiv- 
eth  himself.  But  let  each  man  prove  his  own  work, 
and  then  shall  he  have  his  glorying  in  regard  of 
himself  alone,  and  not  of  his  neighbor. — Gal.  6:  1-4. 

Wherefore,  if  meat  causeth  my  brother  to  stumble, 
I  will  eat  no  flesh  for  evermore,  that  I  cause  not  my 
brother  to  stumble. — I  Cor.  8 :  13. 

Will  we  stand  for  such  a  principle? 
Study  for  the  Week 


A  reporter  on  the  New  York  Tribune  was  hurrying  to 
get  in  his  copy  one  night,  and  collided  with  another  man — • 
who  tumbled  over  into  a  snowdrift.     It  was  the  city  editor, 

24 


RESPONSIBILITY  FOR   OTHERS  [II-s] 

and  he  proceeded  to  make  plain  to  his  reporter  just  what  he 
thought  of  such  actions.  Then  the  editor  began  to  wonder 
if  his  man  was  always  in  such  a  hurry: 

"When  it  is  late  like  this — ^yes;  how  else  would  I  get  my 
copy  in?" 

The  next  morning  the  reporter  was  called  to  the  desk  of 
the  city  editor.  It  seemed  as  if  there  was  to  be  a  painful 
scene  ending  in  a  quick  retirement  of  the  gatherer  of  news. 

Said  the  editor :  "You  knocked  me  down  last  night  without 
cause." 

"Yes,  sir;  but  I—" 

"Into  a  snowdrift,"  added  the  editor.  "Nice  thing  for  a 
reporter  to  do  to  his  commanding  officer.  Now,  sir,  this  will 
not  do.  We  must  find  some  way  of  preventing  it  in  future. 
Our  man  at  police  headquarters  has  left.  I  am  going  to  send 
you  up  there  to  take  his  place.  You  can  run  there  all  you 
want  to,  and  you  will  want  to  all  you  can.  It  is  a  place  that 
needs  a  man  who  will  run  to  get  his  copy  in  and  tell  the  truth 
and  stick  to  it.  You  will  find  plenty  of  fighting  there.  But 
don't  go  knocking  people  down  unless  you  have  to." 

This  was  a  great  advance  for  the  reporter.  He  telegraphed 
his  wife  the  good  news;  and  then,  remembering  that  this 
was  a  post  of  real  difficulty  and  danger,  he  proceeded  to 
commend  himself  and  his  work  to  God.  To  this  man  his 
work  was  not  a  job  but  a  mission.  Once  he  had  thought  of 
leaving  journalism  to  enter  the  ministry:  a  wise  friend 
pointed  out  that  there  was  such  a  thing  as  a  call  of  God  to 
be  a  reporter.  Thus  he  regarded  every  assignment  as  a 
service  for  his  Lord.  "My  supplications,"  he  said,  "ordi- 
narily take  the  form  of  putting  the  case  plainly  to  Him  who 
is  the  source  of  all  right  and  justice,  and  leaving  it  so. 
If  I  were  to  find  that  I  could  not  do  that,  I  should  decline 
to  go  into  the  fight,  or,  if  I  had  to,  should  feel  that  I  were 
justly  beaten.  In  all  the  years  of  my  reporting  I  have  never 
omitted  this  when  anything  big  was  on  foot,  whether  a  fire, 
a  murder,  a  robbery,  or  whatever  might  come  in  the  way 
of  duty." 

25 


[II-s]  CHRISTIAN  STANDARDS  IN  LIFE 

So  it  was  that  Jacob  Riis  began  his  real  work — his  lifelong 
fight — in  the  slums  of  the  city  of  New  York. 

II 

The  jumble  of  human  beings  that  forms  the  slums  of  a 
great  city  affects  different  people  in  different  ways.  There 
are  many  that  can  pass  through  the  crime  and  the  filth  day 
after  day  and  remain  entirely  indifferent  to  it  all.  It  is  on 
record  that  a  sensitive  man  from  an  English  university  made 
a  protracted  tour  of  the  worst  section  of  London — to  return 
to  his  college  room  and  commit  suicide.  Some  see  it  as  a 
field  for  their  own  selfish  gain :  they  love  the  slums  because 
it  pays.  Sheer  bewilderment  paralyzes  many  of  the  best 
men  and  women  who  would  gladly  stretch  out  a  hand  to 
help.  The  dense  horror  of  crowds  of  human  creatures  shut 
out  from  the  mere  decencies  of  life  lies  like  a  weight  upon 
the  heart.     It  is  not  our  purpose  to  linger  over  the  details. 

That  Jacob  Riis  at  the  beginning  and  again  and  again  felt 
the  hottest  anger  over  the  selfishness,  the  carelessness,  and 
callousness  that  keep  the  poor  of  the  city  down  in  the  lowest 
level  of  existence,  is  to  be  expected ;  but  all  his  words  are 
strangely  full  of  hope.  Though  things  are  bad,  he  sees 
the  vision  of  the  New  World,  he  sees  a  new  standard  of 
righteousness,  a  new  standard  of  Christian  loyalty.  In  one 
of  his  early  books  he  writes : 

"And  thus,  as  a  good  lady  wrote  me  once,  though  the 
problem  stands  yet  unsolved,  more  perplexing  than  ever ; 
though  the  bright  spots  in  the  dreary  picture  be  too  often 
bright  only  by  comparison,  and  many  of  the  expedients  hit 
upon  for  relief  sad  makeshifts,  we  can  dimly  discern  behind 
it  all  that  good  is  somehow  working  out  even  in  this  slough 
of  despond  the  while  it  is  deepening  and  widening  in  our 
sight,  and  in  His  own  good  season,  if  we  labor  on  with 
courage  and  patience,  will  bear  fruit  sixty  and  a  hundred 
fold." 

Many  years  after,  he  addresses  to  a  large  audience  these 
words : 

26 


RESPONSIBILITY  FOR   OTHERS  [Us] 

"Let  me  say  right  here,  so  that  we  may  understand  one 
another,  that  the  whole  of  my  rrianhood  life  has  been  given 
and  what  remains  of  it  will  be  given,  please  God,  to  fighting 
the  things,  all  of  them,  that  go  to  debase  and  degrade  man- 
hood and  womanhood ;  so  I  understand  Christian  duty.  .  .  . 
We  shall  win,  I  know  it ;  for,  in  my  own  time,  I  have  seen 
this  protest  against  the  abandonment  of  the  brother  swell 
from  scattered  voices  here  and  there  to  an  angry  chorus, 
that  first  shamed  decent  men,  who  did  not  know,  out  of  the 
owning  of  slum  tenements,  and  afterwards  drove  Christian 
men  who  did  know  and  who  cared,  too,  into  it  with  the 
result  that  we  have  seen.    We  shall  win  the  fight — indeed !" 

This  man  did  not  fall  into  the  common  error  of  thinking 
that  crowded  tenements  and  bad  food  cause  all  the  evil  in 
the  world.  He  hints  that  all  the  pigs  are  not  in  the  pig- 
geries— there  are  some  in  the  parlors.  But  he  did  see  clearly, 
and  determined  to  make  other  people  realize  vividly,  that 
the  conditions  of  the  slums  stifle  good  impulses  and  develop 
bad  impulses,  and  that  those  who  rise  above  the  conditions 
are  only  those  few  who  are  endowed  with  supernormal 
strength  and  tenacity.  There  are  men  and  women  of  superb 
nobility  fighting  the  hard  fight  against  adverse  circumstance 
in  a  way  that  shames  the  comfortable  Christian.  Jacob  Riis 
would  not  have  these  fight  without  hope. 


Ill 

Circumstances  prepared  Jacob  Riis  for  his  great  work. 

He  was  born  in  Denmark,  in  1849,  in  the  ancient  town  of 
Ribe.  This  boy,  who  was  afterward  to  be  associated  always 
with  the  heart  of  the  great  city,  was  raised  among  the 
meadows  by  the  seashore.  He  left  school  at  the  age  of 
fourteen  and  served  four  years  as  carpenter's  apprentice. 
Then  rejected  love  drove  him  out  of  his  native  land  to 
America. 

Varied  experiences  were  his  in  the  new  land.  They  are  all 
in  his  own  book,  'The  Making  of  an  American."     There  he 

27 


[II-s]  CHRISTIAN  STANDARDS  IN  LIFE 

has  told  the  story  of  his  attempt  to  join  the  French  volun- 
teers fitting  out  for  service  in  the  Franco-Prussian  War. 
The  attempt  ended  unsuccessfully  and  landed  him  penniless 
on  the  streets  of  New  York. 

During  these  days  there  happened  an  event  that  made  a 
lasting  impression.  In  a  police  lodging  house  he  was  robbed ; 
and,  in  the  altercation  that  followed  his  discovery  of  the 
theft,  his  little  black-and-tan  dog,  who  gallantly  Ci^me  to  his 
master's  rescue,  was  brained  by  a  policeman.  In  a  fit  of 
blind  fury,  Riis  attacked  the  man  and  two  helpers  had  to  be 
called  in  to  carry  the  enraged  boy  out  of  the  district.  Jacob 
Riis  never  forgot  the  desperate  crowd  that  filled  that  loath- 
some place  and  the  outrage  that  was  perpetrated  on  him  by 
its  guardians.     He  had  his  revenge  later  in  his  own  way. 

At  last,  in  Philadelphia,  the  Danish  Consul  and  his  wife 
helped  him  to  get  on  his  feet  for  a  time. 

Things  went  this  way  and  that  for  a  long  time.  His 
final  failure  came  when  he  was  trying  to  sell  an  illustrated 
edition  of  Dickens'  "Hard  Times."  When  he  was  at  the 
end  of  his  resources  he  ran  into  the  principal  of  a  business 
college  he  had  attended.  Through  him  Jacob  Riis  was 
introduced  to  the  staff  of  a  news  agency.  Help  came  just  in 
time :  the  dark  river,  he  says,  was  very  near. 

The  meeting  with  the  principal  occurred  late  in  the  eve- 
ning. All  that,  night  Jacob  Riis  and  his  dog  walked  up  and 
down  Broadway;  and  during  the  dark  hours  the  man,  with 
real  hope  before  his  eyes  now,  like  another  Jacob,  met  God 
and  struggled  with  him.  Jacob  Riis  saw  God  in  the  chance 
to  realize  one  of  his  fondest,  wildest  dreams ;  and  alone  he 
committed  his  life  and  ambition  then  and  there  to  the  Father. 

Rapidly  he  showed  his  stuff.  He  was  soon  asked  to  help 
with  the  work  of  a  political  journal  in  Brooklyn.  This  was 
his  start,  and  in  an  incredibly  short  time  he  was  owner  of 
the  paper. 

When  material  prospects  were  thus  brightening  and  the 
man  had  come  to  feel  that  at  last  he  had  a  hold  on  life,  a 
letter  came   from  the  girl  who  had  ruled  his  heart  always 

28 


RESPONSIBILITY  FOR   OTHERS  [lis] 

even  though  she  had  rejected  him.  He  sold  his  paper  at  a 
handsome  profit — and  took  the  next  boat  to  Denmark.  It 
was  after  his  return  to  America,  accompanied  by  his  bride, 
that  he  joined  the  staff  of  the  Tribune. 

Jacob  Riis'  training  was  such  that  he  knew  both  the  good 
and  the  bad  of  the  world,  and  by  personal  experience  he 
knew  the  God  of  the  world.  He  knew  evil  and  he  knew  the 
way  out. 

IV     , 

During  his  early  years  on  the  Tribune,  Jacob  Riis  was  so 
busy  keeping  his  own  head  above  water  that  he  had  not  much 
time  to  think  of  constructive  philanthropy.  He  was  in  a 
nest  of  enemies  at  the  Mulberry  street  police  station.  Other 
reporters  made  common  cause  against  him,  and  the  police 
were  never  his  friends.  But  all  the  time  he  was  learning  to 
know  the  people  of  the  slums.  The  memory  of  his  own 
hungry  days  was  not  gone,  nor  had  he  forgotten  the  death 
of  a  Httle  dog  in  a  poHce  lodging  house. 

Districts  like  Mulberry  Bend  drew  his  attention.  They 
were  breeding-grounds  of  all  the  iniquities,  and  they  were 
typical  situations  that  could  be  vividly  portrayed.  This  re- 
porter^ was  sure  that  if  he  could  succeed  in  forcing  on  people 
a  knowledge  of  these  conditions.  Mulberry  Bend  and  its  like 
must  go.  His  one  fighting  weapon  was  his  pen,  and  he 
began  to  use  it  vigorously.  For  a  while  his  furious  articles 
produced  no  results.  Finally  he  took  flashlights  that  showed 
the  horrors  in  a  way  beyond  me  possibility  of  the  pen.  The 
people  did  awake;  the  day  of  tenement  house  commissions 
began;  and,  though  humanity  moves  very  slowly,  there  is 
no  possibility  that  the  cause  of  the  poor  will  be  hidden  again. 

All  this  time  the  slaying  of  that  little  dog  of  his  had 
rankled  in  Riis'  mind.  Many  times  he  had  started  to  revenge 
himself  on  the  men  who  had  done  the  mean  and  cruel  deed. 
But  his  better  self  held  him  back,  and  he  finally  decided  upon 
a  nobler  vengeance.  The  men  should  be  spared  but  the 
system   of   lodging  houses   destroyed.     These   places   housed 

29 


[II-s]  CHRISTIAN  STANDARDS  IN  LIFE 

together  the  young  vagabonds  and  the  most  hardened  tramps. 
They  were  dens  of  disease  of  the  worst  character.  They 
are  so  long  gone  that  there  is  no  need  for  further  descrip- 
tion. So,  by  pictures  and  articles,  our  reporter  attacked  the 
lodging-house  system  while  he  was  hammering  away  at  the 
tenements.  Lantern  lectures  also  became  a  part  of  his  cam- 
paign. The  result  was  he  did  make  the  people  know.  They 
hurled  charges  of  sensation-mongering  against  him.  Reform 
associations  looked  at  him  askance,  for  they  feared  he  was  just 
after  news ;  but,  in  season  and  out  of  season,  he  kept  at  his 
task.     Anything  to  get  at  the  facts. 

All  this  time  he  was  becoming  a  better  reporter  and  was 
rising  steadily  in  his  profession.  As  he  became  better  known, 
gradually  his  influence  expanded.  One  night  he  conducted 
the  President  of  the  Police  Board  on  a  tour  of  investigation. 
Standing  in  the  very  same  police  lodging-house,  Jacob  Riis 
told  the  story  of  the  young  Danish  boy  and  the  little  black- 
and-tan.  The  President  listened  to  every  word,  then  burst 
out :  'T  will  smash  them  tomorrow."  In  1896  these  houses 
were  closed  forever.  One  day,  too.  Mulberry  Bend  was 
obliterated  and  Mulberry  Bend  Park  is  there  today. 

Besides  his  articles  in  the  papers  Riis  used  books  and 
lectures  to  carry  out  his  scheme.  His  books  really  mark  the 
periods  of  the  long  fight  for  a  better  city — "How  the  Other 
Half  Lives,"  and  "The  Battle  with  the  Slum,"  and  his  own 
life-story  in  "The  Making  of  an  American."  There  are  other 
volumes  dealing  with  special  subjects.  His  lectures  were 
popular  everywhere,  vivid  and* humanizing  as  they  were;  he 
was  always  presenting  not  a  problem  but  people.  Through 
these  two  means  his  influence  was  extended  beyond  the 
limits  of  the  city  where  his  work  lay. 


Jacob  Riis  died  in  the  year  1914.  As  time  goes  on  men 
will  study  his  thoughts  and  his  work.  His  reputation  may  be 
entrusted  to  the  people  without  fear. 

30 


RESPONSIBILITY  FOR   OTHERS  [II-sj 

Some  things  remain  unalterable.  Men  will  disagree  about 
the  achievements  of  any  great  character.  Each  one  has  his 
own  set  of  values,  and  difference  of  opinion  is  inevitable. 
But  that  Jacob  Riis  did  steadily  and  consistently  hold  up 
new  standards  of  life  is  a  solid  fact. 

First,  he  took  his  profession  very  seriously;  he  regarded 
his  calling  as  a  sacred  mission.  His  aim  was  to  tell  his 
stories  so  that  the  human  meaning  of  it  all  might  come  home 
to  his  readers.  He  says  in  one  place  that,  properly  done,  a 
reporter's  murder  story  may  "easily  come  to  speak  more 
eloquently  to  the  minds  of  thousands  than  the  sermon 
preached  to  a  hundred  in  the  church  on  Sunday."  When  he 
determined  to  make  people  understand  the  bad  conditions  of 
the  slums,  he,  of  course,  made  use  of  his  own  connections 
to  spread  the  word.  In  and  through  his  own  calling  he 
served  the  kingdom  of  God. 

He  did  set  up  new  standards  of  community  responsibility. 
The  tenement  house  owner  who  drew  a  large  income  from 
houses  that  were  unfit  for  human  beings,  was  told  about  a 
new  standard  of  business.  The  grafting  politician  heard 
about  a  new  standard  of  government,  a  new  idea  of  democ- 
racy— at  once  an  opportunity  and  a  warning.  The  police 
were  measured  by  a  new  standard,  and  there  were  some  of 
them  who  found  themselves  badly  wanting.  New  standards 
for  a  city !     A  new  life  for  the  modern  cave-dwellers ! 

There  was  in  his  message,  too,  the  call  to  a  new  standard 
of  Christian  duty — really  an  age-old  standard,  but  easily 
forgotten.  Christian  responsibility  was  brought  frankly  be- 
fore churches  and  church  leaders  and  the  Christian  life  was 
interpreted  in  terms  of  a  service  that  included  those  at  our 
very  doors.  Riis  tells  of  a  man  on  a  church  board  who 
wanted  to  have  a  single  family  in  the  slums  under  his  care 
so  that  personal  service  might  be  a  reality.  When  the  con- 
nection was  finally  made,  it  was  discovered  that  the  mother 
scrubbed  floors  in  the  office  building  of  that  particular  church 
board.  The  need  is  all  around  us  if  we  have  the  sympathy 
and  the  will  to  serve. 

31 


[II-s]  CHRISTIAN  STANDARDS  IN  LIFE 

The  task  that  he  set  himself  was  really  to  make  people  see. 
For   further    reading — Jacob    Riis :    "The    Making    of    an 
American." 

Suggestions  for  Thought  and  Discussion 

To  what  extent  am  I  responsible  for  the  actions  of  others? 

How  did  Riis  interpret  his  responsibility  for  others? 

What  did  Riis  want  for  the  people? 

Are  there  living  conditions  in  which  a  moral  life  is 
impossible? 

How  far  do  transformed  living  conditions  insure  moral 
character  ? 

What  can  one  person  do  to  meet  such  responsibility? 

How  did  Riis  arouse  the  public  conscience?  How  .do 
methods  of  arousing  public  conscience  differ  in  college?         \ 

What  difference  would  it  have  made  had  Riis  been  a 
lawyer  instead  of  a  journalist? 

May  every  profession  in  and  through  itself  be  used  to 
transform  living  conditions?  What  was  Riis'  idea  of  the 
relation  of  his  profession  to  his  religion? 

Is  Riis*  method  of  revenge  in  destroying  the  system  rather 
than  getting  even  with  the  individuals  feasible  in  college 
life,  in  politics,  etc.? 

What  qualities  in  Riis'  religion  helped  make  his  achieve- 
ments possible? 

What  are  our  opportunities  for  comm,unity  betterment? 

What  are  the  living  conditions  in  this  college,  and  how  do 
they  affect  moral  character?  What  is  true  of  the  college 
town? 

What  can  be  done  here  to  arouse  public  opinion  for  a 
change  of  these  conditions,  both  in  college  and  town? 


32 


CHAPTER  III 

A  FEARLESS  MESSENGER 

GEORGE   LESLIE   MACKAY 
Daily  Readings 

"No  man  is  born  into  this  world, 
Whose  work  is  not  born  with  him." 

How  the  man  is  to  be  envied  who  accepts  this  truth,  finds 
his  errand,  and  lets  himself  out  in  it!  The  quiet  certitude, 
the  fearlessness,  the  concentrated  energy,  the  drive  and 
direction  of  such  a  life  spell  out  efficiency,  power,  success. 
And  yet  this  consciousness  is  not  reserved  for  the  few,  nor 
even  for  the  many,  but  is  open  to  all.  For  the  humblest 
man,  if  he  but  knew  it,  is  for  some  purpose  of  God  an  envoy 
extraordinary. 

I.     The  greatest  task  in  the  world 

And  Jesus  came  to  them  and  spake  unto  them, 
saying,  All  authority  hath  been  given  unto  me  in 
heaven  and  on  earth.  Go  ye  therefore,  and  make 
disciples  of  all  the  nations,  baptizing  them  into  the 
name  of  the  Father  and  of  the  Son  and  of  the  Holy 
Spirit :  teaching  them  to  observe  all  things  whatso- 
ever I  commanded  you :  and  lo,  I  am  with  you  always, 
even  unto  the  end  of  the  world. — Matt.  28 :  18-20. 

"God  is  working  His  purpose  out 

As  year  succeeds  to  year. 
God  is  working  His  purpose  out, 

And  the  time  is  drawing  near, 
Nearer  and  nearer  draws  the  time, 

The  time  that  shall  surely  be. 
When  the  earth  shall  be  filled  with  the  Glory  of  God 

As  the  waters  cover  the  sea." 

33 


[III-2]        CHRISTIAN  STANDARDS  IN  LIFE 

To  make  Christ  and  His  principles  regnant  the  world  over 
— this  George  Leslie  Mackay  took  to  be  the  supreme  obliga- 
tion of  all  Christian  disciples  in  all  ages. 

Who  is  exempt  from  having  a  part  in  finishing  this  task? 

2.  Each  man  on  his  own  errand 

It  was  within  the  Great  Commission  (Matt.  28:18-20) 
that  Mackay  found  the  special  errand  of  his  life  and  his 
sure  credentials.  "My  grandfather,"  he  said,  "fought  at 
Waterloo ;  his  martial  soul  went  into  my  blood ;  and  when 
once  I  owned  the  Saviour  King,  the  command,  'Go  ye  into 
all  the  world  and  preach  the  Gospel  to  every  creature,'  made 
me  a  soldier  of  the  Cross.  To  be  a  missionary  became  the 
passion  of  my  life." 

There  came  a  man,  sent  from  God,  whose  name 
was  John. — John  i :  6. 

Paul,  an  apostle  of  Christ  Jesus  through  the  will 
of  God. — Eph.  1:1. 

Mackay's  great  work  was  built  on  the  assurance  that  he 
was  it  missionary  to  Formosa  through  the  will  of  God. 

Have  we  any  such  assurance  that  we  have  a  definite  place 
in  God's  purpose?    Are  we  eager  to  find  our  errand? 

3.  The  messenger  enthused  by  his  message 

A  man  with  a  mission  is  a  man  with  a  message.  The 
passion  of  Mackay's  life  rang  out  In  his  favorite  echo  of  his 
great  predecessor. 

For  I  am  not  ashamed  of  the  gospel;  for  It  Is  the 
power  of  God  unto  salvation  to  every  one  that  be- 
lieveth;  to  the  Jew  first,  and  also  to  the  Greek. — 
Rom.  1 :  16. 

To  be  a  herald  of  the  good  news!  To  share  with  others 
the  radiant  glory  of  the  love  of  God ! 

34 


A   FEARLESS  MESSENGER  [111-4] 

One  can  hear  Mackay  and  his  students  singing  that  old 
Fifty-fourth   Paraphrase : 

"I'm  not  ashamed  to  own  my  Lord, 
Or  to  defend  His  cause, 
Maintain  the  glory  of  His  cross, 
And  honor  all  his  laws." 

Are  we  ashamed  of  our  faith f 

4.     The  life  filled,  with  a  great  purpose  has  no  room  for  fear 

I  will  lift  up  mine  eyes  unto  the  hills,  from  whence 
Cometh  my  help. 

My  help  cometh  from  the  Lord,  which  made  heaven 
and  earth. 

He  will  not  suffer  thy  foot  to  be  moved ;  he  that 
keepeth  thee  will  not  slumber. 

Behold  he  that  keepeth  Israel  shall  neither  slumber 
nor  sleep. 

The  Lord  is  thy  keeper :  the  Lord  is  thy  shade  upon 
thy  right  hand. 

The  sun  shall  not  smite  thee  by  day,  nor  the  moon 
by  night. 

The  Lord  shall  preserve  thee  from  all  evil;  he  shall 
preserve  thy  soul. 

The  Lord  shall  preserve  thy  going  out  and  thy  com- 
ing in  from  this  time  forth,  and  even  for  ever- 
more.— Psalm  121. 

This  Psalm,  which  was  written  on  the  fly-leaf  of  his  Bible, 
brought  Mackay  infinite  comfort  as  he  made  his  first  journey 
to  the  East.  Often  he  would  steady  the  converts  with  these 
and  similar  words. 

One  of  his  friends  tells  of  sitting  on  Mackay's  knee  as  a 
small  boy,  listening  breathlessly  to  the  account  of  his  being 
suddenly  surrounded  by  a  band  of  angry  savages  with  clubs 
uplifted.  "And  weren't  you  afraid?"  asked  the  boy.  "How 
could  I  be  afraid,  lad,  when  my  Father  sent  me?" 

Do  we  know  the  perfect  love  that  casts  out  fearf 

35 


[III-5]        CHRISTIAN  STANDARDS  IN  LIFE 

5.  When  the  message  is  opposed  or  rejected,  what  is  the 
messenger  to  do? 

How  should  a  Christian  meet  the  opposition  which  will 
surely  be  offered  to  his  convictions  or  his  line  of  action? 
Imagine  Jesus  annoyed,  impatient,  peeved,  intimidated ! 

And  it  came  to  pass,  when  the  days  were  well-nigh 
come  that  he  should  be  received  up,  he  stedfastly  set 
his  face  to  go  to  Jerusalem,  and  sent  messengers 
before  his  face:  and  they  went,  and  entered  into  a 
village  of  the  Samaritans,  to  make  ready  for  him. 
And  they  did  not  receive  him,  because  his  face  was 
as  though  he  were  going  to  Jerusalem.  And  when 
his  disciples  James  and  John  saw  this,  they  said.  Lord, 
wilt  thou  that  we  bid  fire  to  come  down  from  heaven, 
and  consume  them?  But  he  turned,  and  rebuked 
them.  And  they  went  to  another  village. — Luke 
9:51-56. 

When  Mackay  and  A  Hoa  were  driven  from  village  after 
village  in  the  Eastern  Plain  and  had  to  sleep  by  the  wayside, 
they  took  fresh  courage  as  they  recalled  that  the  same  treat- 
ment had  been  given  to  Him  whose  ambassadors  they  were. 
In  the  end  the  villagers  received  them  and  soon  eighteen 
chapels  were  built  in  the   Plain. 

When  is  a  Christian  student  liable  to  meet  such  opposition? 

6.  Where  a  great  conviction  dominates  a  man's  life  he  is 
irresistible 

Brethren,  I  count  not  myself  yet  to  have  laid  hold : 
but  one  thing  I  do,  forgetting  the  things  which  are 
behind,  and  stretching  forward  to  the  things  which 
are  before,  I  press  on  toward  the  goal  unto  the  prize 
of  the  high  calling  of  God  in  Christ  Jesus. — Phil. 
3 :  13,  14. 

The  man   who   said  that  was  a   man  on  an   errand   that 

36 


A  FEARLESS  MESSENGER  [III-7] 

brought  him  under  a  sense  of  immediacy.     It  gave  a  center 
to  his  life  to  which  all  else  was  related. 

Are  our  lives  mastered  and  unified  by  a  great  conviction? 
Can  we  say,  "This  one  thing  I  do"? 

y!    God  is  hack  of  every  man  he  sends  on  an  errand 

Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you.  He  that  believeth  on 
me,  the  works  that  I  do  shall  he  do  also ;  and  greater 
works  than  these  shall  he  do;  because  I  go  unto  the 
Father,  And  whatsoever  ye  shall  ask  in  my  name, 
that  will  I  do,  that  the  Father  may  be  glorified  in  the 
Son.  If  ye  shall  ask  anything  in  my  name,  that  will 
I  do. — John   14:  12-14. 

Mackay  said  after  he  had  been  long  in  Formosa,  "I  have 
gained  every  point  I  asked  God  for  since  I  landed  here." 

What  points  have  we  gained  or  are  we  definitely  expecting 
to  gain  in  this  way? 

Study  for  the  Week 

The  blood  of  the  pioneer  was  in  the  veins  of  George  Leslie 
Mackay.  His  parents  were  among  the  hundreds  of  Scotch 
Highlanders  who  a  century  ago  migrated  to  Canada.  Many 
of  them  had  settled  in  Western  Ontario.  There  stout  arms 
and  stouter  hearts  wrought  mightily  to  change  the  difficult 
forests  into  fruitful  farms.  And  there  in  a  godly  Gaelic- 
speaking  home  George  Mackay  was  born  on  March  21,  1844. 
In  that  home,  in  the  "old  log  church"  and  also  in  the  day- 
school,  where  the  Shorter  Catechism  was  diligently  taught, 
he  received  a  stern  and  reverent  theology,  of  which  he 
himself  said  later,  "It  may  have  been  narrow,  but  it  was 
deep  and  high."  Its  central  teaching  of  the  Sovereignty  of 
God  dominated  his  thinking,  determined  the  course  of  his 
life,  and  gave  a  distinguishing  quahty  to  his  work.  It  made 
him  think  of  himself  as  a  real  messenger  of  God  with  a 
message   for  the  world. 

Z7 


[III-s]       CHRISTIAN  STANDARDS  IN  LIFE 


As  a  boy  he  had  determined  to  make  his  life  count  for 
God.  And  gradually  it  had  come  to  be  his  supreme  ambition 
to  work  for  Him  on  the  foreign  field.  While  a  student  at 
the  University  of  Toronto  he  kept  this  alluring  idea  before 
him.  And  when  the  conviction  finally  came  that  this  was 
God's  purpose  for  him,  he  definitely  made  it  his  own  life 
purpose.  At  Princeton  Theological  Seminary  the  purpose 
deepened.  After  graduating  he  offered  himself  for  such 
work.  But  he  was  considered  an  "excited  young  man."  The 
Canadian  Presbyterian  Church  postponed  decision.  Not  easily 
checked  in  executing  a  purpose  to  which  God  had  led  him, 
he  tried  one  of  the  missionary  societies  in  Scotland  where 
he  was  doing  graduate  work.  Just  then  he  received  word 
that  the  church  at  home  had  decided  to  send  him  as  "their 
first  missionary  to  the  heathen  world."  Six  months  later  he 
set  out  for  China;  and  he  went  with  a  strong  confidence,  for 
he  believed  his  life  was  a  plan  of  God.  He  was  consciously 
a  man  with  a  mission. 

Despite  many  inducements  to  settle  in  China  his  thoughts 
turned  to  Formosa  and  he  set  off  lo  reconnoiter  there.  He 
was  enraptured  by  the  beauty  of  its  wooded  hills,  as  the 
Portuguese  travelers  before  him  had  been  when  they  first 
saw  it  and  cried  out,  "Ilha  Formosa" — "Beautiful  Isle !"  thus 
giving  it  its  name.  After  spending  a  short  time  in  South 
Formosa,  he  pressed  on  to  the  northern  part  which,  because 
he  had  heard  of  "its  teeming  population  in  city  and  plain 
and  mountain  fastnesses,  for  whose  soul  no  man  cared,"  he 
had  already  hoped  would  be  the  field  of  his  life-work.  He 
sailed  into  the  mouth  of  the  Tamsui  River.  "One  look  toward 
the  north,  another  to  the  south,  another  far  inland  to  the 
dark  green  hills,  and  I  was  content.  There  came  to  me  a 
calm,  clear,  prophetic  assurance  that  here  would  be  my 
home,  and  something  said  to  me,  'This  is  the  land !' "  That 
assurance  never  left  him.  In  matters  great  or  small  there 
was  always  a  restlessness  in  his  soul  that  suspended  outward 

38 


A  FEARLESS  MESSENGER  [III-s] 

action  until  a   sure  consciousness  came  that  he  was  in  the 
path  that  was  marked  out  for  him. 

So  there  in  Tamsui  we  find  Mackay  installed  in  1872.  He 
was  entirely  among  strangers,  understanding  scarcely  a  word 
that  they  spoke.  His  "house"  was  a  wretched  little  hut  built 
into  the  side  of  a  hill  and  his  furniture  consisted  of  two 
packing  boxes  filled  with  books  and  clothing.  Later,  when 
the  British  Consul  loaned  him  a  bed  and  a  chair  and  a 
Chinese  shopkeeper  gave  him  an  old  pewter  lamp,  he  began 
to  live  in  luxury. 

II 

In  the  spirit  and  with  the  mettle  of  a  fearless  messenger 
of  God  the  young  Canadian  fairly  leaped  to  his  task.  Diffi- 
culties appeared,  mountain  high.  Lack  of  accommodations, 
comforts,  companions,  equipment — these  he  could  overcome, 
but  how  was  he  to  get  a  hearing?  The  opposition  of  the 
natives  to  the  presence  of  the  "foreign  devil"  was  manifested 
on  all  sides.  Dogs  were  set  on  him  and  he  was  reviled  as  a 
"black-bearded  barbarian."  And  before  he  could  hope  to  ex- 
plain his  presence  he  must  learn  Chinese,  the  most  difficult 
of  all  the  spoken  languages  on  earth.  But  discouraged? 
Not  he.  From  that  first  moment  in  the  harbor  of  Tamsui 
when  the  voice  within  said,  "This  is  the  land,"  he  knew  he 
was  on  a  definite  errand  which  could  not  fail  because  it  was 
God's  errand. 

He  attacked  the  language  with  might  and  main,  showing 
such  energy  that  his  teacher  could  not  keep  up  the  pace  and 
left  him.  But  Mackay  pushed  on  and  in  an  incredibly  short 
time  had  a  working  knowledge  of   Chinese. 

His  severest  opponents  were  the  proud  literati.  They 
treated  him  with  haughty  scorn,  this  benighted  barbarian 
who  presumed  to  pose  as  a  teacher.  So  Mackay  set  himself 
to  a  study  of  their  classics  and  prayed  earnestly  that  his 
first  convert  would  come  from  the  ranks  of  these  contemp- 
tuous  literati.     One   day  an   attractive  young   scholar,   Giain 

39 


[III-s]        CHRISTIAN  STANDARDS  IN  LIFE 

Cheng-Hoa,  came  to  visit  him  in  friendly  fashion.  He 
came  a  second  time  and  a  third.  He  brought  other  literati 
with  him  and  they  plied  the  missionary  with  objections  and 
quotations  from  Confucius  only  to  find  themselves  beaten 
in  argument  and  outstripped  in  their  knowledge  of  their  own 
classics.  Then  came  a  glad  day  when  the  young  scholar 
came  and  said,  "I  am  convinced  that  the  doctrines  you  teach 
are  true.  I  am  determined  to  be  a  Christian."  Thus  a  proud 
scholar  became  the  first  convert,  even  as  Mackay  had  prayed. 
A  Hoa,  as  he  was  commonly  known,  became  the  foremost 
leader  of  the  Christians  of  North  Formosa  and  was  to  the 
end  Mackay's  boon  companion  and  trusted  counselor. 

City  after  city  was  visited.  Mackay  was  gradually  winning 
favor  with  the  literati  and  many  of  the  common  people  heard 
him  gladly.  But  what  of  Bang-kah,  the  Gibraltar  of  heathen- 
dom? This  largest  and  most  important  city  of  North  Formosa 
was  fiercely  anti-foreign.  Western  merchants  could  not  gain 
access  to  it.  Warnings  against  the  missionary  had  gone 
from  it  into  the  surrounding  country.  Mackay  wanted  to 
go,  because  it  was  a  Gibraltar :  he  dared,  because  he  was  on 
an  errand  and  must  execute  it.  He  went,  rented  a  place,  and 
put  up  the   sign,    "Jesus'   Holy  Temple." 

With  incredible  courage  and  patience  Mackay  and  A  Hoa 
faced  the  violent  opposition  of  the  authorities  and  the  people. 
It  has  been  well  said  that  Mackay  did  not  know  when  he 
was  beaten,  for  he  stayed  there  till  he  won  his  way.  The 
city  had  been  a  Gibraltar,  but,  in  his  own  words,  "Bang-kah 
was  taken." 

One  of  the  most  dramatic  instances  in  which  the  sense  of 
his  divine  mission  carried  him  past  opposition  occurred  when 
he  visited  some  settlements  of  Sek-hoan — "ripe  barbarians" — 
on  the  West  Coast.  From  the  headman  of  a  village  he 
received  this  message: 

"You  black-bearded  barbarian,  with  your  Chinese  students, 
must  either  leave  in  the  morning  or  stay  in  the  house  for 
three  days." 

40 


A  FEARLESS  MESSENGER  [III-s] 

His  reply  was  characteristic: 

"We,  the  servants  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  will  neither 
leave  in  the  morning  nor  stay  in  the  house,  but  by  the  power 
of  our  Lord  we  will  preach  His  Gospel  in  your  streets  on  the 
morrow  and  following  days." 

On  the  morrow  there  was  excitement  and  violence  enough, 
but  preach  the  Gospel  that  day  in  the  streets  they  did,  and 
the  next  day  and  the  next.  A  few  weeks  later  a  church  was 
being  erected  there  by  some  of  those  whose  persecutions  had 
been  most  bitter. 

Incidents  of  this  character  might  be  multiplied.  But  whether 
in  the  thrill  of  some  such  exciting  experience  or  amid  the 
monotonies  and  annoyances  of  the  average  day's  routine,  he 
was  never  discouraged,  seemed  not  to  know  fear  and  he 
never  learned  how  to  retreat.  His  headquarters  remained 
in  Tamsui,  but  he  traversed  all  the  surrounding  country  on 
tours  with  his  students.  He  seemed  possessed  of  endless 
endurance.  Four  hours'  sleep  was  his  nightly  portion. 
"Whirlwind  Mackay"  he  was  sometimes  called.  His  alert, 
wiry  figure,  his  long  black  beard,  and  his  thoughtful  piercing 
eyes  were  familiar  all  through  the  countryside,  as  he  passed 
from  village  to  village,  his  "Book"  under  his  left  arm,  the 
inevitable  cane  in  his  right  hand,  swinging  along  the  roads 
and  through  the  rice-fields.  He  would  usually  forge  ahead 
of  his  younger  companions,  as  they  journeyed  together,  now 
treading  muddy  roads,  now  cutting  their  way  through  thick 
underbrush,  now  climbing  the  steep  mountainsides.  Often 
when  the  opposition  grew  threatening,  he  would  lead  his 
students  in  singing  the  fine  old  Scotch  paraphrase : 

"I'm  not  ashamed  to  own  my  Lord, 
Or  to  defend  His  cause." 

His  very  face  and  carriage  showed  that  he  was  controlled 
by  the  thought  of  his  ambassadorship.  As  he  once  put  it, 
"Formosa  is  rooted  in  the  purpose  of  God  as  surely  as  Orion 
or  the  Pleiades."    And  in  the  fulfillment  of  the  purpose  for 

41 


[III-s]        CHRISTIAN  STANDARDS  IN  LIFE 

Formosa  he  knew  that  he  was  God's  appointed  agent.  It  is 
to  this  confidence,  with  all  that  it  implied,  rather  than  to 
any  unusual  abilities,  for  Mackay's  natural  gifts  were  not 
above  the  average,  that  we  must  trace  the  successes  of  his 
life. 

Ill 

Mackay  was  as  versatile  as  he  was  ubiquitous.  He  did  far 
more  than  preach  the  Gospel  and  superintend  the  work  of 
the  rapidly  growing  churches.  One  of  his  chief  concerns  was 
education.  He  had  the  instincts  of  a  scholar  and  of  a 
teacher.  He  collected  a  great  mass  of  scientific  data  about 
Formosa.  He  established  a  museum  in  Tamsui.  He  himself 
was  a  peripatetic  professor.  At  first  he  took  his  college  with 
him  and  taught  his  students  as  they  journeyed  from  place 
to  place.  Later,  however,  he  established  this  work  in  "Oxford 
College"  at  Tamsui.  From  the  ranks  of  these  students  he 
drew  the  pastors  and  evangelists  that  were  required  as  the 
work  developed.  Nor  was  the  education  of  the  girls  and 
women  neglected.  In  the  development  of  this  work  and  in 
the  training  and  directing  of  the  Bible  women  his  greatest 
helper  was  the  fine  and  talented  Chinese  lady  who  had 
become  Mrs.  Mackay. 

One  of  Mackay's  most  useful  assets  was  his  knowledge  of 
medicine  and  surgery.  His  studies  in  these  lines  developed 
a  natural  aptitude.  To  his  equipment  was  finally  added  a 
pair  of  dental  forceps — made  by  a  blacksmith.  This  peculiar 
skill  enabled  the  missionary  to  reheve  pain  and  deliver  the 
people  from  the  dominance  of  native  quacks.  Needless  to 
say  such  service  prepared  the  way  for  a  kindly  reception  of 
the  Christian  message. 

Never  for  a  moment  did  the  man  seem  to  be  idle.  He 
appeared  to  be  in  several  places  at  the  same  time.  Day  and 
night  he  toiled.  Scarcely  would  he  recover  from  an  attack 
of  fever  before  he  would  plunge  into  his  work  again.  He 
was  preaching  and  educating,  extracting  teeth  and  washing 
ulcers,  writing  and  gathering  scientific  material,  and  all  the 

42 


A  FEARLESS  MESSENGER  [III-s] 

while  administering  six  growing  churches.  When  new  build- 
ings were  being  erected  he  labored  like  a  coolie.  He  was 
working  always  against  the  coming  of  the  night  "when  no 
man  can  work." 

IV 

»  Dr.  Mackay's  death  occurred  in  1900.  This  was  his  last 
message  to  the  Canadian  Church :  "Will  Formosa  be  won  for 
Christ?  No  matter  what  may  come  in  the  way,  the  final 
victory  is  as  sure  as  the  existence  of  God." 

The  conquest  is  still  in  progress.  Others  from  Canada 
have  followed  in  his  train  and  are  giving  their  lives  for 
Formosa.  Native  leaders  are  being  added  in  large  numbers. 
Schools,  churches,  and  dispensaries  continue  to  be  built  and 
all  that  Mackay  embodied  in  his  own  work  is  being  multi- 
plied through  North  Formosa. 

"There  was  a  man  sent  from  God  whose  name  was  John." 
Just  as  actually,  Mackay  believed,  there  was  a  man  sent 
from  God  whose  name  was  Mackay.  This  sense  of  mission 
lured  him  from  before  and  impelled  him  from  behind.  It 
dominated  his  life.  He  had  neither  time  nor  heart  for  non- 
essentials. He  never  quailed  before  the  opposition  of  men. 
He  knew  his  credentials  were  good,  for  they  were  from 
above.  He  was  not  surprised  when  impregnable  fortresses 
of  heathenism  became  citadels  of  Christianity.  He  would 
have  been  surprised  had  they  remained  what  they  were. 
It  was  for  him  to  lift  high  the  cross;  it  was  for  Christ  to 
draw  men  unto  Himself. 

For  further  reading — George  L.  Mackay :  "From  Far 
Formosa." 

Suggestions  for  Thought  and  Discussion 

Why  do  obstacles  make  so  strong  an  appeal? 

What  athletic  games  appeal  most  to  college  men?    Why? 
Which    is   the   more   difficult   to   overcome — a   moral  or   a 
physical  obstacle? 

43 


[III-s]        CHRISTIAN  STANDARDS  IN  LIFE 

Why  is  the  harder  job  the  more  attractive? 

How  far  was  the  difficulty  of  the  field  and  how  far  was 
the  overwhelming  need  of  work  in  Formosa  the  deciding 
factor  in  Mackay's  locating  there?  How  far  is  difficulty  and 
how  far  is  opportunity  the  deciding  factor  in  the  choice  of 
work? 

How  do  you  account  for  Mackay's  dogged  persistence? 
Was  he  wise  in  insisting  on  working  where  he  was  not 
wanted  ? 

What  was  the  relation  between  his  faith  that  he  had  a 
message  and  his  indomitable  purpose  to  overcome  difficulties? 

Why  was  Mackay  victorious? 

How  did  his  versatility  contribute  to  his  success? 
What   in   his    training,    his    natural   qualifications,    and   his 
religious  experience  contributed  to  his  success  ? 

Why  did  Mackay  consider  himself  a  messenger  of  Godf 

Was  Mackay  presumptuous  in  expecting  minute  directions 
from  God  for  his  life? 

To  what  extent  was  his  walking  into  dangers  the  result  of 
a  spirit  of  bravado,  sheer  carelessness,  fatalistic  philosophy, 
or  confidence  in  God's  direction? 

In  what  ways  did  God  make  His  purpose  for  Mackay 
known?    How  do  we  gain  His  direction  in  our  life? 

Additional  Topics  for  Investigation  and  Report 

What  arguments  were  probably  advanced  to  discourage 
George  Mackay  from  becoming  a  missionary?  How  did  he 
probably  answer  them? 

Give  an  outline  of  a  sermon  that  Mackay  might  have 
preached  in  presenting  the  Christian  Gospel  to  Formosans 
who  had  never  heard  it  before.    • 

Write  an  imaginary  letter  from  Mackay  six  months  after 
his  arrival  in  Formosa  giving  an  account  of  the  island  and 
its  people  and  summarizing  the  needs  which  he  hoped  to  be 
able  to  meet. 

Tell  how  the  work  begun  by  Mackay  has  developed  up  to 
the  present  time.     (Use  map.) 

44 


CHAPTER   IV 

EVERYDAY  FRIENDLINESS 

JOHN    WOOLMAN 
Daily  Readings 

The  real  friends  of  every  student  are  few  in  number. 
Friendship  means  giving  and  receiving  in  such  an  intimate 
relationship  that  it  is  necessarily  restricted.  But  there  are 
students  and  professors  who  have  the  friendly  attitude  toward 
all  whom  they  meet.     What  kind  of  person  draws  us? 

1.  The  man  who  is  true 

"Bluff"  may  work  for  a  while,  but  it  is  soon  found  out. 
There  is  the  student  who  puts  on  friendliness  and  a  hail- 
fellow-well-met  .attitude.  How  we  all  hate  it!  Absolute 
reality  and  frankness  alone  have  the  power  to  attract  men. 
Paul  wrote  a  single  sharp  sentence  on  this  subject. 

Let  love  be  without  hypocrisy. — Rom.  12 :  9. 
Did  we  act  naturally  and  honestly  all  day  yesterday? 

2.  The  man  who  has  convictions  but  is  not  intolerant 

The  student  who  will  turn  about  any  way  the  wind  blows  is 
never  sought  out  by  others.  Those  on  the  campus  who  have 
no  solid  opinions  about  anything  never  command  respect  or 
affection — and  they  are  often  pitied!  On  the  other  hand,  the 
student  who  bristles  with  positive  convictions  on  everything 
and  thinks  his  are  the  only  valuable  ideas  in  college,  is  not 
sought  out  as  a  friend. 

It  was  the  same  Paul  who  was  the  first  great  theologian — 

45 


[IV-3]         CHRISTIAN  STANDARDS  IN  LIFE 

embodying  convictions  in  clear  and  decided  language — who 
wrote,  "If  I  speak  with  the  tongues  of  men  and  of  angels  and 
have  not  love,  I  am  become  ...  a  clanging  cymbal."  In  a 
passage  of  one  of  his  letters  he  emphasizes  the  double  duty 
if  the  church  is  to  grow  up  united  and  powerful. 

That  we  may  be  no  longer  children,  tossed  to  and 
fro  and  carried  about  with  every  wind  of  doctrine, 
by  the  sleight  of  men,  in  craftiness,  after  the  wiles  of 
error;  but  speaking  truth  in  love,  may  grow  up  in  all 
things  unto  him,  who  is  the  head,  even  Christ;  from 
whom  all  the  body  fitly  framed  and  knit  together 
through  that  which  every  joint  supplieth,  according 
to  the  working  in  due  measure  of  each  several  part, 
maketh  the  increase  of  the  body  unto  the  building  of 
itself  in  love. — Eph.  4:  14-16. 

Are  we  learning  to  hold  our  convictions  firmly  hut  kindly  f 

3.  The  man  with  real  respect  for  human  beings  as  human 
beings 

Consider  the  lilies,  how  they  grow :  they  toil  not, 
neither  do  they  spin;  yet  I  say  unto  you.  Even  Solo- 
mon in  all  his  glory  was  not  arrayed  like  one  of 
these.  But*  if  God  doth  so  clothe  the  grass  in  the 
field,  which  today  is,  and  tomorrow  is  cast  into  the 
oven;  how  much  more  shall  he  clothe  you,  O  ye  of 
little   faith?— Luke    12:27,   28. 

Jesus  contended  for  the  recognition  of  the  infinite  value  of 
each  person.  "Always  the  supreme  value  for  which  He  lived 
and  taught  and  sacrificed,  was  personality,  marred  and  es- 
tranged, yet  even  so  the  child  of  God,  loved  by  the  Father, 
and  possessing  everlasting  issues  of  weal  or  woe.  And  all 
His  sacrifice  was  founded  on  this  scale  of  value.  He  dies 
for  men  because  He  believed  men  were  worth  dying  for." 
(Fosdick,  "The  Manhood  of  the  Master.") 

Are  we  trying  to  find  in  every  fellow-student  just  those 
possibilities  that  make  him  infinitely  valuable f 

46 


EVERYDAY  FRIENDLINESS  [IV-4] 

4.  The  man  who  is  not  afraid  to  forgive 

No  one  freezes  up  friendliness  like  the  man  who  holds 
resentment  alive  and  glowing.  Some  people  are  miserable 
enough  to  be  always  gently  referring  to  past  injury  even 
after  full  reparation  is  made.  Those  who  are  always  keeping 
in  view  their  rights  and  their  wrongs  are  poor  companions 
and  very  cold  comforts  in  times  of  real  trouble. 

But  if  any  hath  caused  sorrow,  he  hath  caused  sorrow, 
not  to  me,  but  in  part  (that  I  press  not  too  heavily) 
to  you  all.  Sufficient  to  such  a  one  is  this  punishment 
which  was  inflicted  by  the  many;  so  that  contrariwise 
ye  should  rather  forgive  him  and  comfort  him,  lest 
by  any  means  such  a  one  should  be  swallowed  up 
with  his  overmuch  sorrow.  Wherefore  I  beseech  you 
to  confirm  your  love  toward  him.  For  to  this  end 
also  did  I  write,  that  I  might  know  the  proof  of  you, 
whether  ye  are  obedient  in  all  things.  But  to  whom 
ye  forgive  anything,  I  forgive  also :  for  what  I  also 
have  forgiven,  if  I  have  forgiven  anything,  for  your 
sakes  have  I  forgiven  it  in  the  presence  of  Christ. 
—II  Cor.  2:  5-10. 

Are  we  trying  to  put  the  sense  of  our  own  wrongs  com- 
pletely out  of  our  minds f 

5.  The  man  who  is  not  "in  it  for  himself" 

Nothing  will  break  up  a  growing  friendship  sooner  than 
the  suspicion  that  one  or  other  of  the  partners  in  this  rela- 
tionship should  suspect  that  the  other  is  trying  to  get  some- 
thing out  of  it.  It  is  needless  to  add  that  the  selfish  man 
repels  always.  Even  the  appearance  of  selfishness  is  sufficient 
to  drive  others  away.  "He's  playing  his  own  little  game,"  we 
say  of  one;  or,  "I'm  useful  to  him  now,  but  next  spring — " 
of  another.  The  way  to  avoid  the  appearance  of  selfishness 
is  to   cultivate   whole-hearted   and   genuine   generosity. 

Are  we  always  trying  to  give  something  to  our  best  friends? 
Are  we  spreading  this  spirit  to  others  in  the  college? 

47 


[IV-6]         CHRISTIAN  STANDARDS  IN  LIFE 

6.  The  man  who  has  a  real  faith  in  God 

Even  in  college  many  know  the  disappointment  that  comes 
when,  in  a  time  of  real  trouble,  they  have  sought  a  friend 
only  to  find  that  his  little  half-baked  philosophy  has  no  word 
for  deeper  needs.  If  you  are  worried  over  the  loss  of  a 
brother  or  sister  or  the  moral  failure  of  some  one  in  whom 
you  believe,  you  don't  want  a  friend  with  a  store  of  clever 
man-made  platitudes;  you  want  some  one  who  believes  in 
God.  You  want  some  one  who  looks  beyond  human  consola- 
tions and  human  applause.  Many  a  hardened  skeptic  turns 
to  a  Christian  friend  when  real  trouble  comes. 

Ye  are  the  salt  of  the  earth :  but  if  the  salt  have 
lost  its  savor,  wherewith  shall  it  be  salted?  it  is 
thenceforth  good  for  nothing,  but  to  be  cast  out  and 
trodden  under  foot  of  men.  Ye  are  the  light  of  the 
world.  A  city  set  on  a  hill  cannot  be  hid.  Neither 
do  men  light  a  lamp,  and  put  it  under  the  bushel,  but 
on  the  stand;  and  it  shineth  unto  all  that  are  in  the 
house.  Even  so  let  your  light  shine  before  men; 
that  they  may  see  your  good  works,  and  glorify  your 
Father  who  is  in  heaven. — Matt.  5 :  13-16. 

Are  we  ready  now  to  meet  the  heaviest  troubles  of  life? 

7.  Jesus,  the  Master  of  friendliness 

In  his  letter  to  the  Romans,  Paul  outlines  the  character- 
istics of  the  friendly  Christian.  "Let  your  love  be  perfectly 
sincere.  Regard  with  horror  what  is  evil;  cling  to  what  is 
right.  As  for  brotherly  love,  be  affectionate  to  one  another; 
in  matters  of  worldly  honor,  yield  to  one  another.  Do  not  be 
indolent  when  zeal  is  required.  Be  thoroughly  warmhearted, 
the  Lord's  own  servants,  full  of  joyful  hope,  patient  under 
persecution,  earnest  and  persistent  in  prayer.  Relieve  the 
necessities  of  God's  people;  always  practice  hospitality.  In- 
voke blessings  on  your  persecutors — blessings,  not  curses. 
Rejoice  with  those  who  rejoice;  weep  with  those  who  weep. 
Have   full  sympathy  with  one  another.     Do  not  give  your 

48  * 


EVERYDAY  FRIENDLINESS  [IV-s] 

mind  to  high  things,  but  let  humble  ways  content  you.  Do 
not  be  wise  in  your  own  conceits.  Pay  back  to  no  man  evil 
for  evil.  Take  thought  for  what  is  right  and  seemly  in  every 
one's  esteem.  If  you  can,  so  far  as  it  depends  on  you,  live 
at  peace  with  all  the  world.  Do  not  be  revengeful,  my  dear 
friends,  but  give  way  before  anger ;  for  it  is  written,  'Revenge 
belongs  to  me :  I  will  pay  back,  says  the  Lord.'  On  the  con- 
trary, therefore,  if  your  enemy  is  hungry,  give  him  food;  if 
he  is  thirsty,  quench  his  thirst.  For  by  doing  this  you  will 
be  heaping  burning  coals  upon  his  head.  Do  not  be  overcome 
by  evil,  but  overcome  the  evil  with  goodness"  (Rom.  12:9-12 
— Weymouth). 

Compare  the  life  that  Jesus  lived  with  these  words  of  Paul. 
The  apostle  may  have  had  his  Master's  wonderful  life  before 
him  as  he  wrote.  The  combination  of  strength  and  tender- 
ness, love  and  righteous  anger,  joy  and  seriousness,  in  Jesus— 
the  balance  of  His  character — made  His  appeal  so  powerful. 

Where  is  our  friendliness  to  our  fellow-students  falling 
down? 

Study  for  the  Week 

I 

One  day  in  the  year  1756,  John  Woolman,  a  Quaker  tailor 
of  New  Jersey,  began  to  write  an  account  of  some  of  the 
experiences  of  his  own  life.  Those  were  stirring  times  in 
America,  but  there  is  hardly  any  reference  to  the  events  that 
occupy  the  pages  of  our  histories.  Till  a  few  days  before 
his  death,  Woolman  continued  his  jottings;  and  they  have 
come  down  to  us  in  a  book  known  as  "John  Woolman's 
Journal."  Charles  Lamb  once  said :  "Get  the  writings  of  John 
Woolman  by  heart."  One  American  critic  of  the  highest 
reputation  has  dared  to  place  this  autobiography  among  the 
world's  classics.  No  one  could  fail  to  be  attracted  by  the 
pure  and  graceful  English  that  this  "illiterate  tailor"  somehow 
learned  to  write;  but  it  is  not  its  style  that  makes  the  book 

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[IV-s]         CHRISTIAN  STANDARDS  IN  LIFE 

worthy,  it  is  the  transcendent  moral  greatness  of  the  char- 
acter that  gradually  unfolds  itself  in  the  simple  story. 

In  the  early  days  of  the  eighteenth  century  there  were  in 
New  Jersey  and  Pennsylvania  over  20,000  members  of  the 
Society  of  Friends.  The  Society,  founded  in  England  in 
1647,  was  still  in  the  full  vigor  of  its  youth.  Only  a  few 
years  after  its  beginning,  zealous  disciples  brought  its  message 
to  America;  and  George  Fox,  the  founder,  made  an  extended 
visit  to  the  new  world  in  1671.  Into  the  fine,  friendly  atmos- 
phere of  a  Quaker  home  John  Woolman  was  born  in  1720; 
respect  for  humanity  was  his  birthright.  Think  of  the  record 
of  this  little  body  of  Christians :  it  has  led  in  recognizing  the 
equal  rights  of  men  and  women;  in  protesting  against  slavery; 
in  calling  attention  to  the  duty  of  the  stronger  races  to  the 
weaker ;  in  demanding  the  reconstruction  of  the  penal  code, 
and  in  taking  a  decided  attitude  against  militarism,  bad 
books,  extravagance,  and  intemperance.  This  is  a  record  of 
friendship. 

Two  elements  in  John  Woolman's  soul  were  at  odds  in  his 
early  life :  a  sincere  love  of  good  fellowship,  and  the  passion- 
ate devotion  to  the  ideals  of  life — especially  with  regard  to 
amusements — of  the  Society  of  which  he  was  a  member.  His 
youthful  vanities  weighed  heavily  upon  him ;  but,  without 
passing  through  any  sharp  crisis,  he  finally  laid  aside  the 
practices  that  lay  heavily  on  his  conscience.  He  came  to 
see  that  the  contending  elements  could  be  readily  blended. 
He  came  to  a  sound  understanding  of  life,  and  to  a  deep 
appreciation  of  the  fact  that  whoever  would  really  serve 
God  must  show  consideration  for  all  His  creatures.  Nor 
did  he  become  intolerant.  Never  do  we  find  him  falling  into 
paralyzing  prejudice.  He  thanked  God  for  Thomas  a  Kempis 
and  John  Huss;  he  worked  well  with  the  Moravian  and 
Presbyterian  ministers  he  met  along  the  way. 

Educational  facilities  were  meager;  except  for  a  little 
training  in  agriculture  he  had  to  teach  himself.  His  fine 
English  style  is  probably  due  to  his  knowledge  of  the  Bible. 

At  twenty-one  he  took  a  position  with  a  merchant  as  a 

50 


EVERYDAY   FRIENDLINESS  [IV-s] 

clerk  and  bookkeeper,  and  for  a  number  of  years  ran  for 
his  employer  a  little  shop  in  the  town  of  Mount  Holly. 
There  some  of  his  old  companions  pestered  him  for  a  while ; 
but  he  persuaded  them  that  he  had  turned  over  a  new  leaf, 
and  they  left  him  alone. 

In  these  early  years  two  issues  were  vividly  presented  to 
him.  His  employer  had  him  write  a  bill  of  sale  for  a  slave : 
this  opened  up  the  question  of  slavery,  and  he  thought  it 
through  for  himself.  Then  his  first  work  made  him  examine 
the  whole  question  of  money-making  and  its  relation  to  the 
spirit  of  life — again  he  persisted  in  working  out  his  own 
ideas. 

II 

John  Woolman  laid  out  the  plan  of  his  life  very  early,  and 
he  seems  never  to  have  departed  from  it. 

In  the  first  place,  the  falling-off  of  his  employer's  business 
made  it  advisable  for  him  to  find  some  other  form  of  occu- 
pation. He  finally  decided  to  become  a  tailor.  He  remarks 
of  this  trade:  "I  was  taught  to  be  content  with  it,  though 
I  felt,  at  times,  a  disposition  that  would  have  sought  some- 
thing greater."  There  is  an  explicit  statement  that  one 
reason  for  this  choice  was  that  this  particular  trade  sup- 
plemented by  a  "little  retailing  of  goods"  would  support  him 
without  the  "load  of  great  business." 

The  immediate  reason  for  desiring  to  be  without  the  "load 
of  great  business"  we  may  find  in  the  fact  that  he  became 
convinced  that  there  was  a  great  work  for  him  in  direct 
Christian  service.  In  company  with  another  Friend,  Woolman 
had  made  his  first  journey  as  a  Christian  minister.  The 
Friends  had  no  regular  ministers  at  that  period;  but  it  was 
a  very  common  practice  for  one  or  two  members  to  travel 
on  a  "mission,"  sometimes  to  visit  other  meetings  of  the 
Society,  sometimes  to  stimulate  Christian  life  in  communi- 
ties where  there  was  no  established  worship,  and  sometimes 
to  carry  the  Christian  message  to  the  Indians.  The  program 
of  work  was  not  fixed.     If  it  seemed  wise  to  preach,  these 

51 


[IV-s]         CHRISTIAN  STANDARDS  IN  LIFE 

ministers  preached;  but  it  was  no  foregone  conclusion  that 
they  would  deliver  a  series  of  lectures  in  each  place.  They 
went  convinced  that  God  would  show  them  the  method,  and 
often  no  word  was  spoken  in  public.  They  seem  never  to 
have  omitted  the  practice  of  visiting  from  home  to  home. 

John  Woolman  knew  how  to  speak  in  public  and  he  knew 
how  to  keep  quiet.  To  him  God's  spirit  was  a  spirit  of 
wisdom.  One  of  the  few  sharp  passages  in  the  "Journal"  is  a 
criticism  of  those  who  take  up  the  time  of  meetings  when 
they  are  unprepared,  and  of  those  who  waste  time  in  beating 
about  the  bush  when  they  really  have  something  to  say. 

Thus  we  find  him  through  life  working  at  his  trade  just 
enough  to  provide  for  himself  and  his  family,  and  spending 
the  rest  of  the  time  in  the  service  which  really  was  his 
vocation.  For  some  ten  years  after  he  had  launched  out  for 
himself,  he  continued  to  carry  on  his  "little  retailing";  but 
he  found  this  was  taking  up  more  and  more  of  his  time — 
"The  increase  of  business  became  my  burthen,"  he  says — so 
he  decided  to  give  up  everything  but  his  tailoring,  and,  much 
praise  to  him,  the  cultivation  of  his  little  apple  orchard. 
The  closing  out  of  this  enterprise  gave  him  more  time  for 
his  ministry. 

During  his  lifetime  he  wrote  at  least  four  essays  on  reli- 
gious subjects,  some  of  which  were  published  by  subscription 
among  the  Friends. 

HI 

It  is  impossible  to  convey  in  a  brief  sentence  the  depth  of 
this  man's  friendship  for  God.  On  every  page  of  the  open 
account  of  his  soul  that  he  saw  fit  to  write  there  is  the 
plainest  evidence  of  the  reality  of  his  religion.  Religion  to 
him  meant  God,  first  and  foremost;  not  his  own  ideas  and 
feelings,  but  God's  love  and  God's  will  toward  men.  The 
singular  beauty  and  round  good  sense  of  his  prayers  leave 
the  student  of  his  life  deeply  impressed.  He  was  indeed  the 
"friend  of  man";  but  once  when"  his  duty  called  him  to  a 

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EVERYDAY  FRIENDLINESS  [IV-s] 

task  in  which,  so  he  feared,  he  had  incurred  the  ill-will  of  a 
brother  man,  he  summed  up  the  matter  by  saying, 

"In  this  case  I  had  a  fresh  confirmation  that  acting  con- 
trary to  present  outward  interest,  from  a  motive  of  Divine 
love,  and  in  regard  to  truth  and  righteousness,  and  thereby 
incurring  the  resentment  of  men,  opens  the  way  to  treasure 
better  than  silver,  and  to  a  friendship  exceeding  the  friend- 
ship of  man." 

But  all  this  devotion  to  God  was  translated  by  Woolman 
into  love  for  man.  Human  beings  interested  him  primarily. 
The  sacred  rights  of  the  individual  were  his  passion.  He 
muses  on  the  days  of  hard  labor  in  his  early  youth.  He 
remembers  how  he  was  often  at  the  point  of  exhaustion,  and 
passes  at  once  to  think  of  all  those  men  with  whom  this  is 
a  constant  experience.  The  trials  of  the  martyrs,  some  of 
them  of  his  own  Society,  carry  his  thought  further  in  his 
sympathy  with  suffering  humanity.     Then  he  bursts  out, 

"li  such  who  have  great  estates,  generally  lived  in  that 
humility  and  plainness  which  belongs  to  a  Christian  life,  and 
laid  much  easier  rents  and  interests  on  their  lands  and  moneys, 
and  thus  led  to  a  right  use  of  things,  so  great  a  number  of 
people  might  be  employed  in  things  useful,  that  labor  both 
for  men  and  other  creatures  would  need  to  be  no  more  than 
an  agreeable  employ.  As  I  have  thus  considered  these  things, 
a  query  hath  arisen :  do  I  in  all  my  proceedings,  keep  to  that 
use  of  things  which  is  agreeable  to  universal  righteousness? 
And  there  hath  some  degree  of  sadness  at  times  come  over 
me:  because  I  accustomed  myself  to  some  things  which 
occasioned  more  labor  than  I  believe  Divine  wisdom  intends 
for  us." 

His  prophetic  vision  is  sometimes  very  striking.  For  ex- 
ample,  once  he   wrote : 

"When  house  is  joined  to  house  and  field  laid  to  field, 
until  there  is  no  place,  and  the  poor  are  thereby  straitened, 
though  this  is  done  by  bargain  and  purchase,  yet  so  far  as  it 

53 


IIV-s]        CHRISTIAN  STANDARDS  IN  LIFE 

stands  distinguished  from  universal  love,  so  far  that  woe 
predicted  by  the  prophet  will  accompany  their  proceedings." 

Again,  on  a  mission  to  the  Indians,  reviewing  their  situa- 
tion in  the  meditative  spell  of  the  solitudes,  he  returns  to  the 
old  thought — 

"I  was  renewedly  confirmed  in  a  belief  that  if  all  our 
inhabitants  lived  according  to  sound  wisdom,  laboring  to 
promote  universal  love  and  righteousness,  and  ceased  from 
every  inordinate  desire  after  wealth,  and  from  all  customs 
which  are  tinctured  with  luxury,  the  way  would  be  easier  for 
the  inhabitants,  though  much  more  numerous  than  at  present, 
to  live  comfortably  in  honest  employment." 

No  doubt  it  was  after  a  day  of  hard  climbing  over  rocks 
and  heavy  journeying  through  the  forests  that  he  was  set 
to  thinking,  as  he  looked  upon  the  painted  Indian  warriors, 
of  their 

"miseries  and  distresses  when  wounded  far  from  home 
by  their  enemies;  and  of  their  bruises  and  great  weariness 
in  chasing  one  another  over  the  rocks  and  mountains;  and 
of  their  restless  unquiet  state  of  mind  who  live  in  this  spirit." 

Again  the  personal  application, 

"During  these  meditations,  the  desire  to  cherish  the  spirit 
of   love    and   peace   among   these   people,    arose    very    fresh 


When  he  crossed  the  ocean,  near  the  end  of  his  life,  taking 
passage  in  the  steerage  because  he  could  not  bring  himself  to 
travel  in  greater  comfort  than  others  of  his  fellowmen  on 
the  ship,  we  find  him  "seeing,  hearing,  and  feeling  with 
respect  to  the  life  and  spirit  of  many  poor  sailors."  The 
apprentices  are  his  special  concern.  Though  he  sees  the 
necessity  of  transportation,  and  hence  the  necessity  of  train- 
ing sailors,  he  bewails  the  terrible  conditions  under  which 
the  training  was  received. 

Such  a  man  as  John  Woolman  was  bound  to  have  con- 

54 


EVERYDAY  FRIENDLINESS  [TVs] 

victions.  His  Intelligent  benevolence  was  backed  up  by  a 
purpose  too  strong  to  permit  of  the  mere  registering  of 
impressions;  he  believed  some  things  and  believed  them 
tremendously.  Also,  he  never  lacked  courage.  He  had  fear 
and  hesitation  in  the  face  of  both  physical  and  moral  prob- 
lems, but  he  never  turned  back. 

Deep  moral  conviction  and  unfaltering  courage  are  the 
basic  qualities  of  the  saint;  they  are  also  the  basic  qualities 
of  the  thorough-going  "crank."  They  are  the  distinguishing 
features  of  those  dreary  reformers  whose  "joyless  efforts  to 
reform  the  world"  at  once  excite  our  admiration  and  pity 
and  shatter  our  nerves.  To  these  characteristics  John  Wool- 
man  added  an  indestructible  friendliness. 

There  is  a  weak  kind  of  friendliness  that  can  be  achieved 
by  those  who  run  lightly  through  the  world  unburdened  by 
solid  convictions.  Since  there  is  no  reason  for  antagonism, 
such  friendliness  can  be  widely  indulged  in  without  cost. 
But  John  Woolman  had  convictions  of  the  uncomfortable 
sort.  They  dealt  with  matters  wholly  personal — personal 
property  and  personal  conduct,  and  we  know  that  men  who 
will  sit  unmoved  through  a  sermon  on  everlasting  torture 
will  squirm  and  rage  under  an  examination  of  business 
methods.  Luxury  and  display  he  regarded  as  utterly  wrong; 
slave-keeping,  a  practice  not  generally  prohibited  among 
Friends,  he  considered  against  the  principles  of  the  Christian 
religion;  and  his  attitude  toward  "vain  pleasures"  sometimes 
bordered  on  asceticism. 

He  did  achieve  the  difficult  feat  of  holding  such  convictions 
in  the  spirit  of  friendship.  Of  course,  he  cared  more  for 
persons  than  mere  convictions  as  such;  he  respected  the 
integrity  of  each  human  soul.  He  could  not  be  easily  fooled. 
He  warns  against  that  kind  of  popularity  and  companionship 
that  closes  one's  mouth  in  the  face  of  wrong  conditions;  he 
proposes  to  fulfill  all  the  obligations  of  friendship — the  un- 
pleasant as  well  as  the  pleasant.  He  apologizes  for  undue 
harshness  at  the  same  time  as  he  reaffirms  the  conviction  too 
harshly  stated. 

55 


[IV-s]         CHRISTIAN  STANDARDS  IN  LIFE 

America  has  had  evidence  enough  as  to  the  delicate  nature 
of  the  question  of  slavery.  Here  John  Woolman  kept  his 
head,  though  his  passion  for  freedom  never  cooled.  Through 
all  his  missions,  from  the  time  he  first  spoke  to  his  employer 
when  a  young  man  of  twenty-three  till  his  death  at  the  age 
of  fifty-two,  he  kept  working  to  bring  the  people  to  his 
point  of  view.  But  it  was  all  done  quietly.  He  had  no  full 
solution  ready  on  all  difficulties.  He  was  just  seeking  all  the 
time  to  apply  the  principles  of  justice  and  humanity  to  each 
case  as  it  came  before  him. 

It  might  be  expected  that  he  was  opposed  to  war.  In  this 
connection  again  we  find  him  a  man  with  a  sound  conviction, 
but  also  with  sight  as  keen  as  a  hawk.  There  were  three 
practical  issues  :  first,  the  actual  service  in  the  army ;  second, 
the  payment  of  a  war  tax;  and  third,  the  billeting  of  soldiers 
in  the  homes  of  the  people.  Passive  resistance  to  the  de- 
mands springing  from  all  three  issues  was  the  course  of 
action  taken  by  most  conscientious  Friends.  Woolman  ana- 
lyzes the  whole  question  with  consummate  skill. 

He  points  out  that  the  Friends  were  originally  excluded 
from  civil  government  and,  being  at  odds  with  the  rulers 
anyway,  there  was  little  likelihood  of  their  supporting  them 
in  warlike  plans.  However,  as  persecution  ceased,  members 
of  the  Society  came  more  and  more  into  the  common  life 
and  finally  occupied  positions  in  the  State.  This  gradually 
modified  their  attitude  regarding  war.  Then  comes  a  clear 
distinction.  The  Friends  gradually  changed  their  views  till 
they  were  in  danger  of  becoming  merely  a  "peaceable  people" 
and  not  a  Society  opposed  to  the  use  of  force  as  against  the 
laws  of  God. 

The  people  are  called  to  trust  in  God  and  not  take  up  arms 
even  if  the  country  is  invaded.  An  earnest  group  of  Friends 
also  decided  that  they  could  not  pay  the  war  tax. 

Then  there  is  a  significant  statement.  After  paying  a  tribute 
to  the  public  officers  who  were  doing  their  best  to  make  it 
as  easy  as  possible  for  sincere  Friends  to  do  their  duty, 
Woolman  turns  his  attention  to  those  who  are  sensitive  to  the 

56 


EVERYDAY  FRIENDLINESS  [IV-s] 

use  of   force  only  when   it  drives   them   as   individuals   into 
the  army.     He  disposes  of  such  in  these  words : 

"But  where  men  profess  to  be  so  meek  and  heavenly- 
minded,  and  to  have  their  trust  so  firmly  settled  in  God,  that 
they  cannot  join  the  wards;  and  yet,  by  their  spirit  and 
conduct  in  common  life,  manifest  a  contrary  disposition,  their 
difficulties  are  great  at  such  a  time." 

As  to  billeting,  Woolman  finally  decided  that  he  could  not 
oppose  the  quartering  of  soldiers  in  his  house,  but  he  refused 
to  receive  the  pay  of  the  State  for  their  board. 

In  this  spirit  the  useful  and  influential  life  of  this  manly 
Friend  was  lived  up  and  down  the  land.  The  never-tiring 
love  of  men  lit  up  every  action  and  warmed  the  productions 
of  one  of  the  clearest  minds  of  our  history. 

IV 

The  last  mission  was  undertaken  to  England  in  1772.  The 
events  of  this  journey  only  emphasize  the  characteristics  of 
earlier  life.  It  has  already  been  noted  how  Woolman  refused 
to  be  a  cabin  passenger  and  bore  through  the  long  voyage 
with  the  noisome  steerage.  He  records  casually  what  a  bad 
time  the  live  chickens  had  during  the  voyage.  Again,  he 
refused  to  travel  by  the  stage-coach  because  horses  and  men 
were  cruelly  treated  by  the  system.  What  a  marvel  of  con- 
science!  Walking  along  the  road  at  his  own  infinite  dis- 
comfort, he  is  thinking  about  the  horses  driven  to  death  or 
blindness,  and  the  post-boys  frozen  on  their  seats  because 
certain  human  beings  must  be  served  with  speed.  As  he 
passes  through  the  country,  he  makes  the  very  fullest  notes 
of  the  condition  of  the  people  and  wonders  how  they  could 
be  bettered. 

In  the  city  of  York  he  contracted  smallpox.  The  "Journal" 
ends  abruptly,  but  friends  about  him  carried  the  story  to 
its  close.  The  end  was  as  triumphant  as  the  life.  The  sick 
man  was  kind  and  courteous  to  those  about  him.     To  his 

57 


[IV-s]         CHRISTIAN  STANDARDS  IN  LIFE 

nurse  he  says,  "My  child,  thou  seems  very  kind  to  me,  a  poor 
creature;  the  Lord  will  reward  thee  for  it."  The  praters  of 
his  last  days  were  prayers  of  hope  and  faith.  There  was  no 
whining.  The  submission  to  God  that  he  voiced  was  sub- 
mission full  of  joy.  And  the  last  words  that  he  spoke  were, 
"My  dependence  is  on  the  Lord  Jesus,  who  I  trust  will 
forgive  my  sins,  which  is  all  I  hope  for,  and  if  it  be  His  will 
to  raise  up  this  body  again,  I  am  content;  and  if  to  die,  I 
am  resigned." 

For  further  reading — "John  Woolman's  Journal." 

Suggestions  for  Thought  and  Discussion 
What  place  has  religion  in  the  everyday  affairs  of  life? 

Is  it  wise  to  apply  one's  religious  convictions  to  the  minute 
details  of  life?  What  do  you  think  of  Woolman's  conscien- 
tiousness in  such  matters  as  amusements,  use  of  money,  etc.? 

What  is  the  true  Christian  purpose  in  business  or  profes- 
sion— to  further  the  Kingdom  through  his  vocation,  to  make 
money  to  spend  for  the  Kingdom,  or  to  earn  sufficient  to  free 
him  for  direct  service?  In  view  of  the  value  of  the  work 
Woolman  was  doing  through  his  business,  such  as  his  efforts 
to  prevent  the  abuse  of  credit,  was  he  wise  to  limit  his 
business  enterprise  to  what  would  bring  him  a  mere  living 
profit? 

What  is  the  place  of  friendliness  in  religion? 

What  is  the  difference  between  affability  and  friendliness? 
Can  a  selfish  person  be  friendly?  How  far  is  appreciation  of 
the  point  of  view  of  others  essential  to  friendliness  toward 
others  who  oppose  us? 

Do  you  think  the  spirit  of  friendliness  demands  going  as 
far  as  Woolman  did  in  refusing  to  ride  in  the  stage  coaches 
in  England  because  of  the  cruelty  of  the  system?  Will  boy- 
cotting alone  transform  a  condition  which  is  wrong? 

How  far  is  the  tact  of  friendliness  consistent  with  the  deep 
personal  convictions  of  a  Christian? 

58 


CHAPTER   V 

THE  TRIUMPH   OF  LOYALTY 

ISABELLA   THOBURN 

Daily  Readings 

Loyalty  is  so  much  talked  about  that  we  are  liable  to 
regard  it  as  a  very  common  quality.  Yet  Professor  Josiah 
Royce  places  it  first  among  the  virtues.  Have  we  faced  the 
cost  of  the  loyalty  that  persists  through  good  report  and  ill? 
Do  we  cherish  ideals  that  demand  such  loyalty? 

I.     The  direction  of  loyalty 

The  small  boy  who  said,  "I  don't. want  to  be  good.  I  want 
to  be  good  for  something,"  was  something  of  a  philosopher. 
When  we  have  listened  to  some  discussions  of  loyalty  we 
have  been  half  tempted  to  say,  "I  don't  want  to  be  loyal.  1 
want  to  be  loyal  to  something."  But  loyal  to  what?  We  all 
know  students  who  are  wasting  their  lives  in  petty  loyalties, 
till,  like  Judas,  they  clutch  eagerly  after  thirty  tainted  pieces 
of  silver.  On  the  other  hand,  we  have  numbered  among 
our  friends  those  who  have  lived  out  the  words  of  Paul: 

Howbeit  what  things  were  gain  to  me,  the'se  things 
have  I  counted  loss  for  Christ.  Yea  verily,  and  I 
count  all  things  to  be  loss  for  the  excellency  of  the 
knowledge  of  Christ  Jesus  my  Lord:  for  whom  I 
suffered  the  loss  of  all  things,  and  do  count  them  but 
refuse,  that  I  may  gain  Christ. — Phil.  Z'-7,  8. 

What  are  our  highest  ideals? 
59 


[V-2]  CHRISTIAN  STANDARDS  IN  LIFE 

2.  What  is  involved  in  being  loyal? 

For  which  of  you,  desiring  to  build  a  tower,  doth 
not  first  sit  down  and  count  the  cost,  whether  he 
have  wherewith  to  complete  it?  Lest  haply,  when  he 
hath  laid  a  foundation,  and  is  not  able  to  finish,  all 
that  behold  begin  to  mock  him,  saying.  This  man 
began  to  build,  and  was  not  able  to  finish. — Luke 
14:28-30. 

When  we  plan  our  electives,  choose  our  friends,  set  our 
standards,  pledge  our  allegiance,  do  we  always  first  count  the 
cost? 

What  is  the  difference  between  facing  the  cost  and  refus- 
ing to  act  for  fear  of  the  price? 

3.  Loyalty  demands  perseverance 

Loyalty  that  is  up  today  and  down  tomorrow  ceases  to 
be  loyalty  and  is  of  little  value  to  any  person  or  any  cause. 

And  let  us  not  be  weary  in  well-doing:  for  in  due 
season  we  shall  reap,  if  we  faint  not.  So  then,  as 
we  have  opportunity,  let  us  work  that  which  is  good 
toward  all  men,  and  especially  toward  them  that  are 
of  the  household  of  the  faith.— Gal.  6:9,  10. 

Wherefore,  my  beloved  brethren,  be  ye  stedfast, 
unmovable,  always  abounding  in  the  work  of  the 
Lord,  forasmuch  as  ye  know  that  your  labor  is  not 
vain  in  the  Lord. — I  Cor.  15  :  58. 

Is  our  loyalty  vacillating  or  persevering? 

4.  Loyalty  to  a  great  ideal  penetrates  every  interest  of 
life — challenges  all  that  we  have 

Unless  our  ideals  are  lacking  in  height  or  in  scope,  our 
loyalty  to  them  must  cover  all  the  relations  and  circumstances 
of  life. 

Being  therefore  always  of  good  courage,  and  know- 
ing that,  whilst  we  are  at  home  in  the  body,  we  are 
absent  from  the  Lord  (for  we  walk  by  faith,  not  by 
60 


THE   TRIUMPH   OF  LOYALTY  [V-5] 

sight)  ;  we  are  of  good  courage,  I  say,  and  are  willing 
rather  to  be  absent  from  the  body,  and  to  be  at  home 
with  the  Lord.  Wherefore  also  we  make  it  our  aim, 
whether  at  home  or  absent,  to  be  well-pleasing  unto 
him.— II  Cor.  5  :  6-9. 

Are  we  "ambitious"  to  be  well-pleasing  in  certain  things  or 
in  all  things? 

5.  Is  our  loyalty  centered  in  Christ  Himself? 

And  he  is  the  head  of  the  body,  the  church :  who 
is  the  beginning,  the  firstborn  from  the  dead ;  that 
in  all  things  he  might  have  the  preeminence. — Col. 
1:18. 

This  was  one  of  Isabella  Thoburn's  favorite  passages.  In 
a  letter  to  one  of  her  friends  she  said :  "We  must  commit 
ourselves  to  the  will  and  way  of  Christ  that  He  may  rule 
us  in  very  deed.  If  He  sits  at  our  table;  if  He  speaks  to 
us  in  our  room ;  if  He  is  preeminent  in  all  things,  our  regard 
for  His  rights  and  His  honor  will  cover  up — put  out  of  sight 
— even  the  thought  of  our  little  troubles  from  hurt  feehngs, 
even  though  we  suffer  positive  wrong  or  injustice." 

Do  we  always  put  Christ  first? 

6.  "And  the  greatest  of  these  is  love" 

Love  was  the  crowning  ideal  in  Miss  Thoburn's  life,  and 
was  the  main  secret  of  her  extraordinary  influence.  To  this 
ideal  she  gave  her  strongest  loyalty.  "Every  missionary 
candidate,"  she  said,  "should  learn  this  thirteenth  golden 
chapter." 

Love  is  patient  and  kind.  Love  knows  neither  envy  nor 
jealousy.  Love  is  not  forward  and  self-assertive,  nor  boast- 
ful and  conceited.  She  does  not  behave  unbecomingly,  nor 
seek  to  aggrandize  herself,  nor  blaze  out  in  passionate  anger, 
nor  brood  over  wrongs.  She  finds  no  pleasure  in  injustice 
done  to  others,  but  joyfully  sides  with  the  truth.  She  knows 
how  to  be  silent.     She  is  full  of  trust,  full  of  hope,  full  of 

61 


[V-7]  CHRISTIAN  STANDARDS  IN  LIFE 

patient  endurance.    Love  never  fails.     (I  Cor.  13:4-8. — Wey- 
mouth.) 

Does  our  love  for  people  resemble  this  description,  or  do 
we  revise  the  chapter  for  our  private  usef 

7.  But  how  can  any  one  be  so  truly  loyal  to  Christ  and 
the  high  ideals  He  inspires f 

In  our  better  moments  we  are  ashamed  of  our  failures  and 
we  long  to  be  really  loyal.    How  is  it  possible? 

Hast  thou  not  known?  hast  thou  not  heard?  The 
everlasting  God,  Jehovah,  the  Creator  of  the  ends  of 
the  earth,  fainteth  not,  neither  is  weary;  there  is  no 
searching  of  his  understanding.  He  giveth  power  to 
the  faint;  and  to  him  that  hath  no  might  he 
increaseth  strength.  Even  the  youths  shall  faint  and 
be  weary,  and  the  young  men  shall  utterly  fall:  but 
they  that  wait  for  Jehovah  shall  renew  their  strength ; 
they  shall  mount  up  with  wings  as  eagles;  they 
shall  run,  and  not  be  weary;  they  shall  walk,  and 
not  faint. — Isa.  40:28-31. 

Can  our  loyalty  to  Christ  and  His  standards  be  maintained 
apart  from  a  daily  strengthening  of  our  friendship  with  Himf 

Study  for  the  Week 

An  educated  woman  who  lived  for  many  years  in  the 
most  intimate  contact  with  Isabella  Thoburn  said  of  her, 
"She  had  lofty  ideals,  but  she  attained  to  them."  Nobler 
praise  could  not  be  uttered,  yet  probably  no  one  who  knew 
Miss  Thoburn  would  challenge  the  tribute. 


The  story  of  her  decision  to  become  a  missionary  is  an 
interesting  one.  Her  brother,  James  Thoburn,  later  a  Bishop 
of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  was  then  living  in  North 
India.    One  day,  while  on  an  itinerating  tour,  he  was  strolling 

62 


THE   TRIUMPH   OF  LOYALTY  [V-s] 

in  a  mango  grove.  A  vulture's  feather  dropped  at  his  feet. 
He  picked  it  up,  whittled  the  end  of  it  like  an  old-fashioned 
quill  pen,  took  it  into  his  tent  and  wrote  a  letter  with  it  to  his 
sister  Isabella.  After  describing  his  curious  pen,  he  gave  her 
an  account  of  the  situation  in  the  villages  he  had  been  visiting 
and  of  the  opportunity  there  to  build  up  a  strong  Christian 
community.  He  referred  to  the  hindrance  to  missionary  work 
which  was  presented  by  the  ignorance  and  low  status  of 
India's  women  and  to  the  advantage  which  would  come  from 
the  educating  of  some  prominent  Christian  girls.  He  closed 
the  letter  with  the  question,  casual  and  only  half  in  earnest, 
"How  would  you  like  to  come  out  and  take  charge  of  such 
a  school  if  we  decide  to  make  the  attempt?"  Quick  as  the 
mails  could  bring  a  reply,  there  came  word  from  his  sister 
that  the  idea  appealed  to  her  immensely.  No  definite  deci- 
sion to  go  was  formed  in  her  mind  immediately;  but  as 
she  thought  prayerfully  over  the  matter  the  conviction  grew 
that  this  was  God's  purpose  for  her  life.  Thus  there  came 
the  call  from  within,  the  sort  of  summons  which  Isabella 
Thoburn  could  never  disregard. 

When  the  call  came  it  found  her  prepared.  It  found  her 
with  a  strong  disciplined  character,  with  a  good  knowledge 
of  the  Bible  and  a  clear  experience  of  God  in  her  life,  and 
with  habits  of  prayer  and  of  service. 

The  most  serious  obstacle  in  the  way  of  her  appointment 
was  the  fact  that  at  that  time  almost  no  unmarried  women 
missionaries  were  sent  out  by  the  missionary  society  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  to  which  she  belonged.  But 
when  it  became  known  to  a  few  ladies  in  Boston  that  she 
was  ready  to  become  a  missionary  to  India,  they  decided 
to  organize  a  Woman's  Foreign  Missionary  Society  in  con- 
nection with  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church;  and  that  very 
year,  1869,  Miss  Thoburn  and  Dr.  Clara  E.  Swain  sailed 
as  the  first  missionaries  of  the  Society,  the  one  to  pioneer 
higher  educational  work  for  women  in  India  and  the  other 
to  be  the  first  woman  physician  ever  sent  to  Asia  as  a 
missionary. 

63 


[V-s]  CHRISTIAN  STANDARDS  IN  LIFE 

Isabella  Thoburn  was  assigned  to  work  in  Lucknow.  She 
opened  her  school  in  a  single  room  in  a  noisy  bazaar,  six 
pupils  -being  present  and  a  lad  with  a  bamboo  club  mounting 
guard  at  the  gate  in  case  of  trouble.  In  a  few  weeks  the 
school  moved  into  a  quiet  room  in  a  missionary's  bungalow, 
and  shortly  afterwards  into  a  rented  house.  And  still  the 
work  grew  until  forty  girls  were  enrolled  as  students.  Then 
there  came  a  day  of  great  gladness  and  promise.'  A  splendid 
property  of  nine  acres,  containing  the  second  finest  resi- 
dence in  Lucknow,  had  fallen  vacant.  It  had  once  been  the 
home  of  the  royal  treasurer  of  an  Indian  king  and  recently 
had  been  occupied  by  a  British  official.  It  was  called  the 
Lai  Bagh,  or  Ruby  Garden.  And  now  the  beautiful  "Garden" 
was  for  sale  at  a  very  low  figure.  It  was  so  well  adapted  to 
the  needs  of  the  growing  girls'  school  that  it  seemed  to  have 
been  prepared  for  it.  The  place  was  bought  for  $7,000,  and 
Miss  Thoburn  and  her  school  moved  in.  There  she  made 
her  home  for  thirty-one  years  and  built  up  the  foremost 
educational   institution   for   women   in   India. 

At  the  close  of  the  first  year  in  the  Lai  Bagh,  Miss  Thoburn 
decided  to  change  the  day  school  into  a  boarding  school, 
making  it,  with  one  exception,  the  first  institution  of  this 
kind  in  North  India.  Many  difficulties  presented  themselves 
to  the  plan.  The  cost  of  the  necessary  buildings  had  to  be 
faced.  The  matter  of  maintenance  was  a  great  problem, 
since  the  girls  would  be  too  poor  to  pay  much,  if  anything. 
The  race  question  would  become  more  acute,  for  from  the 
beginning  Miss  Thoburn  had  insisted  upon  having  the  doors 
open  to  Eurasians  as  well  as  to  Indians.  The  missionaries 
were  divided  as  to  the  wisdom  of  the  proposal.  But  with 
her  usual  resoluteness  Miss  Thoburn  went  forward  and  the 
Boarding  School  was  established.  This  added  greatly  to 
the  influence  of  the  institution,  for  the  girls  were  in  the 
Christian  atmosphere  of  the  school  day  and  night  instead  of 
for  a  few  hours  daily;  and  pupils  now  came  in  from  a  distance 
of  a  thousand  miles.  Soon  one  hundred  students  were 
enrolled  and  the  Annual  Educational  Report  of  the  Govern- 

64  t 


THE    TRIUMPH   OF   LOYALTY  [V-s] 

ment  assigned  to  the  school  "the  highest  place  among  the 
native  girls'  schools  of  Upper  India."  The  next  forward  step 
was  taken  when  the  curriculum  was  expanded  and  the 
Boarding  School  became  the  Girls'  High  School,  containing 
collegiate  departments. 

But  the  institution  was  to  move  on  a  stage  farther.  One 
of  the  students  having  completed  her  High  School  course, 
aspired  to  be  a  medical  missionary  to  her  people  and  wished 
to  have  a  college  education  before  entering  upon  the  study 
of  medicine.  The  only  college  open  to  women  was  in  Calcutta 
and  the  influence  of  that  institution  was  not  Christian.  The 
girl's  mother  was  unwilling  that  she  should  go  there.  This 
fact  led  Miss  Thoburn  to  decide  that  the  Girls'  High  School 
should  be  elevated  to  college  grade.  Again  the  difficulties 
multiplied,  but  again  the  faith  and  energy  and  tact  of  Miss 
Thoburn  triumphed,  and  in  1886  the  Lucknow  Woman's  Col- 
lege was  opened — the  first  Christian  college  for  women  in 
all  Asia.  Today  there  are  ten  in  India  alone,  though  the 
Isabella  Thoburn  College,  as  it  is  now  called,  ranks  first 
among  them  all. 

II 

Every  stage  of  this  development,  from  the  one-room  day- 
school  in  the  busy  bazaar  to  the  first  grade  college  in  the 
Lai  Bagh,  revealed  Isabella  Thoburn's  ideals  of  education: 

1.  The  discipline,  though  decidedly  firm,  was  not  rigid, 
but  allowed  a  margin  for  individuality  and  independence. 
This  sensible  young  woman  wished  to  rule  with  the  full 
consent,  both  in  mind  and  heart,  of  the  governed. 

2.  The  standards  of  work  were  high.  Slipshod  habits  were 
checked  and  thoroughness  became  a  motto.  At  every  point  in 
its  development  the  aim  was  to  make  the  institution  the  best 
of  its  kind.  A  glance  over  the  latest  calendar  of  the  College 
will  show  that  it  compares  well  in  its  curriculum  with  high 
grade  colleges  for  women  in  the  Occident. 

3.  Broad  mental  training  and  culture  were  set  down  as 
prime  requisites.     Miss  Thoburn  believed  firmly  in  the  intel- 

6s 


[V-s]  CHRISTIAN  STANDARDS  TJS  LIFE 

lectual  possibilities  of  Indian  girls  and  women  and  insisted 
upon  solid  and  expansive  cultural  foundations  for  every 
student  who  passed  through  the  College. 

4.  The  curriculum  at  the  same  time  was  a  practical  one, 
for  Miss  Thoburn's  objective  in  education,  as  in  all  else,  was 
thoroughly  practical.  She  believed  in  an  education  which 
would  fit  an  Indian  woman  to  accomplish  the  maximum  in 
an  Indian  society.  She  believed  also  in  elective  courses,  so 
that  individual  tastes  and  abilities  and  life  opportunities  might 
be  provided   for. 

5.  The  students  received  individual  attention.  Education 
directed  only  to  the  mass  or  the  group  did  not  appeal  to  this 
lady  principal.  The  best  training  could  be  given  only  if  each 
girl's  individuality  was  discovered  and  developed.  By  this 
personal  consideration  Miss  Thoburn  believed  she  could  avoid 
the  peril  so  widely  prophesied  that  the  girls  would  be  spoiled. 
After  her  death  one  of  her  students  said,  "I  remember  saying 
to  her,  when  she  decided  to  give  us  a  college  education,  'Miss 
Thoburn,  do  you  know  people  say  you  are  spoiling  us?'  She 
said,  'Yes,  but  I  want  you  to  prove  to  them  that  love,  con- 
fidence, and  education  do  not  spoil  people.'  And  again  and 
again  when  I  have  been  tempted  to  be  slack  in  duty  or  low 
in  motive,  the  thought,  'Miss  Thoburn  trusts  you,'  has  kept 
me  good  and  true." 

6.  It  need  hardly  be  added  that  the  formation  of  character 
was  uppermost  in  Isabella  Thoburn's  mind.  This  was  not 
because  she  was  a  missionary,  but  because  she  believed  with 
all  her  soul  that  character  development  must  be  given  suprem- 
acy in  the  educational  aim.  She  saw  to  it,  therefore,  that  the 
atmosphere  of  her  school  and  college  was  attractively  and 
wholesomely  religious. 

Ill 

Isabella  Thoburn's  ideals  for  character  were  not  difficult 
to  discern,  for  she  incarnated  them  in  an  exceptional  degree. 
Every  girl  came  under  the  spell  of  her  noble  character  and 
Christlike  habits.  She  was  the  embodiment  of  quietude  and 
poise,  coupled  with  high  earnestness.  She  never  set  standards 
for  others  to  which  she  herself  was  not  subject.  She  assigned 
to  herself  the  most  difficult  subjects  and  the  most  unpromising 

66 


THE   TRIUMPH   OF  LOYALTY  [V-s] 

classes.  "When  Miss  Thoburn  rang  the  rising  bell  with  her 
own  hands,"  said  one  of  her  students,  "the  girls  did  not  feel 
it  hard  to  rise  early;  when  she  made  her  own  bed  and  dusted 
the  things  in  her  room,  the  girls  felt  that  their  special  duty 
was  even  to  sweep  their  rooms  and  keep  them  neat  and  tidy. 
.  .  .  All  this  was  done  with  a  quiet  dignity  which  inspired 
both  love  and  awe  in  all  around  her,  and  grownup  people 
were  struck  with  the  wisdom  which  guided  her  to  do  all 
things  without  offending,"  She  always  had  time  for  those 
who  needed  her.  Nothing  was  too  trivial  for  her  sympa- 
thetic attention.  "She  had,"  to  use  Bishop  Thoburn's  words, 
"the  fidelity  of  a  servant  in  obeying  every  call  and  meeting 
every  obligation  which  came  before  her,  and  ever  maintained 
an  expectant  attitude  ready  to  accept  any  kind  of  service." 
Her  obedience  to  duty  seemed  always  to  be  either  instinctive 
or  eager ;  it  was  never  hesitating,  calculating,  or  reluctant. 

It  is  not  surprising  that  such  an  influence  was  deep  and 
pervasive  and  that  one  by  one  every  student  came  under  its 
sway.  And  it  is  not  surprising  that  without  exception  they 
were  devoted  to  her,  loved  her,  and  well-nigh  worshiped  her. 
A  few  days  after  her  death  one  of  these  girls,  who  was  then 
on  the  staff  of  the  College,  wrote  a  pathetic  letter  to  a  friend 
in  America.  After  telling  of  the  heartbreaking  shock  that 
had  come  to  her,  she  went  on : 

"It  is  a  little  over  twenty-three  years  since  I  came  to  know 
her,  and  I  have  been  with  her  ever  since,  and  she  has  become 
a  mother  to  me  who  am  motherless.  I  forgot  she  was  an 
American  woman  and  I  a  Hindustani  woman.  I  was  as  free 
with  her  as  if  she  had  been  my  own  mother." 

And  on  another  occasion  she  said : 

"Is  it  any  wonder  that  we  loved  her?  Is  it  any  wonder 
that  one  of  the  former  girls  whom  I  met  a  few  days  ago  and 
who  is  married  and  has  a  family,  said,  'Our  parents,  our 
brothers,  our  husbands,  our  children,  all  love  her'?" 

The  writer  of  the  letter  just  referred  to  was  Lilavati  Singh. 
Naturally  gifted,  she  was  the  most  distinguished  product  of 

67 


[V-s]  CHRISTIAN  STANDARDS  IN  LIFE 

the   school;    and   wherever    Indian   Christian   womanhood   is 
considered,  Lilavati  Singh  quickly  comes  to  mind. 

IV 

And  because  Miss  Thoburn  embodied  her  own  ideals  of 
character  she  was  the  living  illustration  of  her  ideals  of 
service.  As  has  already  been  suggested,  this  was  con- 
spicuously true  of  her  life  within  the  Lai  Bagh.  Here  she 
represented  and  inculcated  the  idea  that  an  education  is  a 
trust  and  must  be  regarded  as  a  basis  for  better  service.  It 
is  not  surprising  that  the  Young  Women's  Christian  Asso- 
ciation in  the  Isabella  Thoburn  College  has  caught  her  spirit 
and  undertaken  several  branches  of  social  service. 

Her  sphere  of  service  was  by  no  means  confined  to  her 
school  and  college.  Her  breadth  of  interest,  her  soundly 
practical  nature,  and  her  zeal  to  be  of  help  led  her  into  a 
wide  variety  of  efforts.  She  assisted  in  opening  a  school  for 
European  girls  at  Naini  Tal.  She  established  a  boarding- 
school  at  Cawnpore  and  for  a  time  acted  as  its  principal 
while  carrying  on  her  regular  duties  at  Lucknow.  It  was 
during  the  most  trying  season  of  the  year;  and  in  order  to 
escape  the  heat  of  the  day,  and  also  to  save  time,  she 
shuttled  back  and  forth  each  night,  traveling  in  a  wretched 
third-class  compartment.  On  one  of  these  night  journeys 
she  became  ill  and  narrowly  escaped  an  attack  of  cholera, 
but  owing  to  her  knowledge  of  medicine  was  able  to  ward 
it  off.  It  was  years  later  when  she  first  mentioned  this, 
and  then  only  casually.  To  her  it  was  but  an  incident  in  the 
pathway  of  duty. 

But  her  helpfulness  was  not  limited  to  matters  of  educa- 
tion. She  gave  a  generous  share  of  her  time  to  the  training 
and  directing  of  the  Bible  women.  She  busied  herself  in 
the  formation  of  Sunday  schools.  She  gave  lessons  in 
Hindustani  to  the  Viceroy's  wife.  Lady  Dufferin.  She  was 
one  of  the  most  trusted  counselors  in  all  the  developments 
of  the  Mission,  near  and  far.    As  a  hostess  she  was  as  inde- 

68 


THE   TRIUMPH   OF  LOYALTY  [V-s] 

fatigable  as  she  was  charming.  When  cholera  broke  out 
she  was  here,  there,  and  everywhere,  giving  advice  and  even 
nursing  the  sick.  When  a  European  lady  was  taken  ill  with 
smallpox  and  no  nurse  was  to  be  had,  Miss  Thoburn  dropped 
her  school  duties  and  isolating  herself  with  the  sufferer 
nursed  her  back  to  health.  She  brought  a  dying  Indian 
woman  into  her  Lai  Bagh  home  and  through  many  months 
waited  on  her  with  gracious  kindness,  often  sitting  up  with 
her  through  an  entire  night.  The  spirit  of  service  was 
strong  within  her  and  she  could  not  deny  it  when  she  was 
confronted  by  a  need.  She  was  well  described  as  a  "servant 
of  all." 

Miss  Thoburn,  unfortunately,  through  a  mistaken  zeal,  did 
not  take  regular  periods  of  rest.  She  did  not  realize  the 
limitations  of  human  strength.  When  she  was  forced  to 
return  to  America  on  account  of  her  health,  she  threw  her- 
self with  vigor  into  the  work  of  the  Deaconess  movement 
and  led  a  great  pioneer  effort  in  this  field.  On  her  return 
to  the  East  she  helped  to  introduce  this  great  work  in  India. 

Her  last  work  on  earth  was  a  simple,  homely  act  of  kind- 
ness. She  presided  one  night  at  a  dinner  party  which  she  had 
given  in  honor  of  one  of  the  Lucknow  missionaries.  Although 
feeling  ill  she  kept  her  guests  from  knowing  it.  The  next 
afternoon,  September  i,  1901,  she  died,  a  sudden  victim  of 
cholera,  the  awful  scourge  from  which  she  had  helped  to 
save  others. 


The  ideals  of  womanhood  which  Miss  Thoburn  held  and 
typified  are  not  indigenous  to  India.  Before  social  recon- 
struction can  proceed  very  effectively  in  that  country,  two 
radical  defects  must  be  removed.  They  are  the  caste  sys- 
tem and  the  low  status  of  womanhood.  Both  of  these 
defects  have  been  hardened  in  the  custom  of  recent  cen- 
turies and  are  so  closely  related  that  when  they  are  displaced 
they   will   depart   together.     The   ancient   ideals   of   woman- 

69 


[V-s]  CHRISTIAN  STANDARDS  IN  LIFE 

hood  and  of  the  treatment  of  woman  have  largely  been 
forgotten  and  her  lot  is  a  hard  one  today.  She  moves  in 
a  narrow  sphere  and,  what  is  worse,  she  has  grown  content 
in  it.  Among  the  evils  from  which  she  suffers  most  are 
early  marriage,  seclusion — among  the  upper  classes — perpetual 
widowhood,  and  the  religious  sanction  of  prostitution.  Some 
of  the  current  proverbs  reflect  the  degradation  and  humilia- 
tion to  which  she  has  been  subjected.  "What  poison  is  that 
which  appears  like  nectar?  Woman."  "He  is  a  fool  who 
considers  his  wife  as  his  friend."  "What  is  the  chief  gate 
to  hell?  Woman."  She  is  regarded  as  without  religious 
possibilities.  "It  has  been  the  strict  injunction  of  their 
Shastras  and  religious  instructors,"  says  Dr.  J.  P.  Jones,  of 
India,  "that  no  man  shall,  under  penalty  of  hell,  teach  to 
his  wife  or  daughter  the  Vedas,  which  are  the  purest  and 
best  part  of  the  Hindu  Scriptures."  Naturally  the  women  of 
India  have  been  kept  in  ignorance.  It  has  not  been  supposed 
that  they  were  capable  of  learning.  Dr.  James  L.  Barton 
tells  of  a  Hindu's  sneer,  "You  can  try  to  teach  my  wife,  and 
if  you  succeed  I  will  bring  around  my  cow  and  you  may 
attempt  to  teach  her."  And  it  has  been  thought  dangerous 
to  educate  their  women.  It  would  not  only  spoil  them  for 
their  lowly  functions,  but  would  give  them  powers  which  they 
would  exercise  for  harm.  As  their  proverb  has  it,  "Educating 
a  woman  is  like  putting  a  knife  in  the  hands  of  a  monkey." 

What  can  change  this  evil  order?  Surely  nothing  less 
than  giving  to  both  the  men  and  the  women  of  India  the 
Christian  conception  of  womanhood  and  at  the  same  time 
demonstrating  her  capacities,  both  intellectual  and  spiritual. 
This  is.  the  Special  task  of  women  missionaries,  who  more 
than  the  men  workers  can  have  the  entree  to  the  thoughts 
and  feelings  of  India's  women  and  to  whom  alone  many  of 
them  are  accessible.  With  her  rare  insight,  Isabella  Thoburn 
saw  that  to  accomplish  this  task  and  to  train  women  leaders 
for  the  Indian  Church,  the  Christian  education  of  girls  was 
a  foremost  necessity ;  and  she  determined  to  contribute  her 
life  to  this  special  and  almost  novel  undertaking. 

70 


THE   TRIUMPH  OF  LOYALTY  [V-s] 

She  came  straight  into  the  heart  of  a  society  that  had  been 
controlled  for  a  millennium  by  a  false  and  degraded  theory 
concerning  woman,  confident  that  this  theory  could  be  dis- 
proved and  that  Christ's  ideals  of  the  sanctity  and  worth  of 
womanhood  could  be  substantiated.  How  well  she  succeeded 
against  terrific  odds  and  what  an  encouragement  she  gave  to 
the  education  of  women  all  through  the  Orient,  forms  a 
romantic  chapter  in  missionary  history  and  in  the  history  of 
education.  The  Lai  Bagh  became  both  an  experimental 
station,  where  results  were  produced  that  seemed  almost 
miraculous  to  the  traditional  Hindu  way  of  thinking,  and  a 
distributing  center  of  new  and  lofty  sentiment  regarding 
womanhood. 

"She  had  lofty  ideals,  but  she  attained  to  them."  High 
indeed  they  were — ideals  of  thoroughness,  of  the  dominance 
of  duty,  of  the  might  of  service,  of  the  glory  of  the  ordinary, 
of  the  sacredness  of  personality,  of  the  right  to  lay  aside  a 
right — her  missionary  ideals,  her  ideals  of  education,  her 
ideals  of  womanhood. 

She  met  the  obstacles  of  opposing  judgments,  criticisms, 
discomfort,  and  fatigue,  an  enervating  climate,  the  depressing 
impact  of  the  coarsest  evils,  the  tyranny  of  routine,  mis- 
understandings, galling  interruptions,  delayed  results.  In  the 
face  of  all  this,  how  natural  it  would  have  been  to  weaken 
here  or  there!  But  the  nobility  of  her  standards  seemed 
impregnable.  She  wavered  not  at  all  in  the  purposes  to 
which  they  led  her.  She  belonged  to  those  who  endure  as 
seeing  One  who  is  invisible. 

And  still  the  ideals  of  Miss  Thoburn  are  being  incarnated 
in  the  beautiful  characters  and  careers  of  a  multitude  of 
India's  women,  whose  prayers  after  her  death  were  voiced 
by  Lilavati  Singh,  "Now  the  cry  of  my  heart  is.  Make  me  a 
little  like  her,  that  people  when  they  see  me  may  say,  'The 
spirit  of  Miss  Thoburn  doth  rest  upon  her.'  " 

For  further  reading — James  M,  Thoburn :  "Life  of  Isabella 
Thoburn." 

71 


[V-s]  CHRISTIAN  STANDARDS  IN  LIFE 

Suggestions  for  Thought  and  Discussion 
What  are  the  secrets  of  leadership? 

How  far  is  it  necessary  for  a  leader  to  embody  the  ideals 
he  would  promote? 

To  what  extent  did  Miss  Thoburn  embody  her  ideals? 

When  there  must  have  been  more  important  demands  upon 
her,  was  she  foolish  to  sweep  her  own  room,  etc.,  because 
she  asked  her  pupils  to  do  so?  What  was  the  special  sig- 
nificance of  such  an  attitude  in  India? 

What  is  the  difference  between  a  leader  and  a  commander? 
Which  was  Miss  Thoburn? 

What  are  the  difficulties  to  he  overcome  in  the  attainment  of 
ideals  in  leadership? 

Which  is  more  important  in  the  attainment  of  an  ideal, 
loyalty  to  the  principle  or  to  the  method  of  its  achievement? 

What  evidences  are  there  of  Miss  Thoburn's  adaptability 
and  open-mindedness  in  her  loyalty  to  her  ideals? 

In  what  ways  did  Miss  Thoburn's  ideals  express  themselves? 

If  you  were  starting  a  school  in  India  how  far  would  you 
follow   Miss  Thoburn's   ideals  of   education? 

What  qualities  in  Miss  Thoburn's  character  made  her  so 
approachable? 

In  what  ways  were  Miss  Thoburn's  ideals  for  womanhood 
at  variance  with  those  of  a  Hindu  man? 

How  far  did  Miss  Thoburn  serve  as  opportunity  came  to 
her  and  how  far  did  she  seek  opportunity  to  serve? 

Additional  Topics  for  Investigation  and  Report 

Why  had  so  few  women  been  appointed  as  missionaries 
before  Miss  Thoburn's  time? 

Describe  the  status  of  woman  according  to  Hindu  standards. 

What  progress  has  been  made  up  to  the  present  in  the 
education  of  the  girls  and  women  of  India? 

Give  an  account  of  Isabella  Thoburn  College  as  it  is  today 
and  compare  the  life  of  a  student  there  with  that  of  a  college 
girl  in  the  United  States  or  Canada. 

72 


CHAPTER    VI 

STEWARDSHIP  IN  DAILY  LIVING 
WILLIAM    WHITING   BORDEN 
Daily  Readings 

"Fidelity  is  what  is  required  in  stewards."  Do  these  words 
really  apply  to  the  occasional  student  of  large  means  or  do 
they  inquire  into  a  quality  which  governs  the  use  of  money 
and  a  score  of  things  besides? 

I.     What  constitutes  the  test  of  a  man's  stewardship  f 

Now  after  a  long  time  the  lord  of  those  servants 
cometh,  and  maketh  a  reckoning  with  them.  And  he 
that  received  the  five  talents  came  and  brought  other 
five  talents,  saying,  Lord,  thou  deliveredst  unto  me 
five  talents :  lo,  I  have  gained  other  five  talents.  His 
lord  said  unto  him.  Well  done,  good  and  faithful 
servant :  thou  hast  been  faithful  over  a  few  things, 
I  will  set  thee  over  many  things ;  enter  thou  into  the 
joy  of  thy  lord.  And  he  also  that  received  the  two 
talents  came  and  said,  Lord,  thou  deliveredst  unto  me 
two  talents :  lo,  I  have  gained  other  two  talents.  His 
lord  said  unto  him,  Well  done,  good  and  faithful 
servant :  thou  hast  been  faithful  over  a  few  things, 
I  will  set  thee  over  many  things ;  enter  thou  into  the 
joy  of  thy  lord. — Matt.  25:  19-23. 

It  was  not  money  that  made  Borden  noteworthy.  That 
was  only  one  of  his  five  talents.  If  he  had  not  been  "a  man 
with  a  million"  his  life  would  have  been  just  as  inspiring, 
for  the  secret  of  his  usefulness  lay  in  this,  that  he  was  a 
faithful  and  wise  steward   (Luke  12:42). 

Have  we  been  as  faithful  in  a  little  as  if  it  were  much? 

73 


[VI-2]         CHRISTIAN  STANDARDS  IN  LIFE 

2.     To  whom  is  the  stewardship  of  money  entrusted f 

Many  students  who  are  quite  familiar  with  the  story  of 
Jesus  and  the  rich  young  ruler  have  said,  "What  has  that 
to  do  with  me?     I  have  not  'great  possessions.'" 

And  Jesus  looking  upon  him  loved  him,  and  said 
unto  him,  One  thing  thou  lackest:  go,  sell  whatso- 
ever thou  hast,  and  give  to  the  poor,  and  thou  shalt 
have  treasure  in  heaven :  and  come,  follow  me.  But 
his  countenance  fell  at  the  saying,  and  he  went  away 
sorrowful:  for  he  was  one  that  had  great  possessions. 
And  Jesus  looked  round  about,  and  saith  unto  his 
disciples.  How  hardly  shall  they  that  have  riches 
enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God !  And  the  disciples 
were  amazed  at  his  words.  But  Jesus  answereth 
again,  and  saith  unto  them,  Children,  how  hard  is  it 
for  them  that  trust  in  riches  to  enter  into  the  king- 
dom of  God! — Mark  10:21-24. 

Wealth  is  a  high  hurdle  in  the  race  of  life.  Are  the 
dangers  and  the  obligations  of  money  any  greater  for  the 
rich  student  than  for  the  student  who  is  working  his  way 
through  college? 

How  shall  we  state  the  principle  which  we  believe  should 
govern  all  our  expenditures,  small  and  great F 

,3.  Every  man  is  a  free  custodian  of  his  time  as  much  as 
of  his  money 

For  the  most  part,  we  live  in  the  care-free  sense  of  the 
present,  fighting  shy  of  the  claims  of  Jesus  upon  our  time. 

We  must  work  the  works  of  him  that  sent  me, 
while  it  is  day:  the  night  cometh,  when  no  man  can 
work. — John  9 :  4. 

The  man  who  is  under  a  sense  of  trusteeship  applies  it  to 
the  use  of  his  time.  His  days  are  God's  and  must  all  make 
their  contribution  to  His  plan.  Indolence  is  barred.  The 
unimportant  becomes   subservient  to  the  important.    Borden 

74  ,    ■ 


STEWARDSHIP  IN  DAILY  LIVING       [VI-4] 

said  to  a  friend  after  the  death  of  a  missionary  doctor  in 
Cairo,  "Now  we  must  work  all  the  harder,  for  the  night 
Cometh." 

Are  we  putting  first  things  -first  f  Are  we  sauntering  along 
through  each  day,  or  are  we  governed  by  a  sense  of  the 
urgency  of  lifef  What  do  our  weekly  schedules  reveal  as 
to  our  character  and  our  conception  of  vainest 

4.  The  ideals  a  man  possesses  are  equally  a  trust 

When  the  aged  Paul  wrote  his  farewell  letter  to  his  young 
friend  Timothy,  his  words  rang  out  with  a  note  of  exultation : 

For  I  am  already  being  offered,  and  the  time  of 
my  departure  is  come.  I  have  fought  the  good 
fight,  I  have  finished  the  course,  I  have  kept  the  faith : 
henceforth  there  is  laid  up  for  me  the  crown  of 
righteousness,  which  the  Lord,  the  righteous  judge, 
shall  give  to  me  at  that  day:  and  not  to  me  only, 
but  also  to  all  them  that  have  loved  his  appearing. 
—II  Tim.  4 :  6-8. 

And  like  an  echo  we  catch  the  appeal,  "O  Timothy,  guard 
that  which  is  committed  unto  thee"  (I  Tim,  6:20). 

One  of  Borden's  friends  said  of  him,  "We  all  admired  the 
way  he  stood  up  for  what  he  believed  in  the  face  of  no  end 
of  ridicule  from  the  rest  of  the  class.  Bill  was  willing  to 
be  a  'fool  for  Christ's  sake.'  "    He  kept  the  faith. 

Do  we  guard  our  ideas  as  loyally  f  What  is  our  loyalty 
costing  us? 

5.  Stewardship  involves  daily  devotion  of  one's  self  to 
his  ideals  and  his  task 

And  he  said  unto  all.  If  any  man  would  come  after 
me,  let  him  deny  himself,  and  take  up  his  cross  daily, 
and  follow  me. — Luke  9 :  23. 

Surrender  to  Christ  may  lack  either  because  it  is  subject 
to  a  reservation  or  because  it  is  allowed  to  lapse.     Borden 

75 


fVI-6]        CHRISTIAN  STANDARDS  IN  LIFE 

gave  all  without  any  condition.  "I  surrendered  all  to  Jesus." 
And  he  kept  the  fires  burning  daily.  He  was  sensitive  to  the 
danger  of  losing  ground.  "I  know,"  he  wrote,  "that  it  is 
no  easy  thing  to  serve  the  Lord.  But  many  others  have 
been  enabled  to  and  there  is  no  reason  why  I  should  not." 
When  speaking  on  "The  Price  of  Power,"  he  used  to  empha- 
size the  necessity  of  a  daily  renewal  of  one's  consecration. 

Would  a  close  observer  regard  our  Christianity  as  sustained 
or  spasmodic? 

6.  The  measure  of  a  man's  life  is  not  in  years  alone 

And  God  is  able  to  make  all  grace  abound  unto 
you ;  that  ye,  having  always  all  sufficiency  in  every- 
thing, may,  abound  unto  every  good  work :  as  it  is 
written, 

He  hath  scattered  abroad,  he  hath  given  to 
the  poor; 

His  righteousness  abideth  for  ever. 
And  he  that  supplieth  seed  to  the  sower  and  bread 
for    food,    shall   supply   and   multiply   your    seed    for 
sowing,   and   increase   the   fruits   of  your   righteous- 
ness.— H  Cor.  9:8-10. 

The  passion  of  Borden's  life  was  that  "God  might  have 
His  will  done  in  him."  It  was  by  strength  of  service,  not 
by  length  of  days  that  he  believed  his  life  must  be  measured. 

Are  we  quite  content  to  live  each  day  carefully,  under 
sealed  orders,  whether  to-morrow  holds  life  here  or  here- 
after? 

7.  The  joy  of  stewardship  depends  on  the  greatness  of 
the  cause  ' 

But  ye  shall  receive  power,  when  the  Holy  Spirit 
is  come  upon  you :  and  ye  shall  be  my  witnesses  both 
in  Jerusalem,  and  in  all  Judea  and  Samaria,  and  unto 
the  uttermost  part  of  the  earth. — Acts  i :  8. 

Men   who   achieve   most   in   the   world  are   absorbed   in   a 

1^ 


STEWARDSHIP  IN  DAILY  LIVING       [VI-s] 

great  cause.  Borden's  cause  was  foreign  missions.  He 
believed  that  they  expressed  God's  supreme  wish  for  man- 
kind and  he  therefore  made  it  the  supreme  wish  and  inten- 
tion of  his  life.  His  missionary  purpose  underlay  his  dis- 
cipleship  and  unified  his  life.  He  carried  daily  on  his  heart 
this  watchword,  "The  Evangelization  of  the  World  in  this 
Generation."  He  literally  lived  the  watchword.  It  gave 
point  and  direction  and  enthusiasm  to  his  consecration.  He 
built  all  his  interests  into  this  program. 
Is  our  cause  as  truly  worth  while  as  this? 

Study  for  the  Week 


Few  men  go  to  college  more  richly  endowed  than  William 
Borden  was  when  he  entered  Yale.  He  had  inherited  sterling 
qualities  from  his  father  and  the  comradeship  and  religious 
training  of  his  mother  had  helped  to  establish  him  in  solid 
character  and  a  clear  straightforward  faith.  The  home-life 
he  knew  had  been  radiant  and  wholesome.  A  boisterously 
happy  lad,  he  had  been  surrounded  with  the  advantages 
which  wealth  can  provide.  He  had  prepared  for  Yale 
at  the  Hill  School  in  Pottstown,  Pennsylvania,  had  done 
creditable  work  there  and  had  taken  active  part  in  the  reli- 
gious and  athletic  life  of  the  school. 

Before  he  entered  college  his  parents  had  him  make  a 
tour  of  the  world  in  the  company  of  a  friend.  Never  did  a 
boy  travel  with  eyes  more  widely  open.  So  it  was  that  as  a 
mere  schoolboy  he  had  gained  a  world-consciousness  and 
had  begun  to  look  upon  Hfe  in  its  larger  relationships. 

While  in  London,  on  the  return  journey,  an  experience 
came  to  him  that  marked  an  epoch  in  his  life.  It  was  at  a 
meeting  which  William  had  missed  his  dinner  to  attend.  A 
simple  entry  in  his  diary  records  the  fact  that  he  was  "much 
helped  and  surrendered  all."  That  act  of  complete  dedica- 
tion to  Christ  was  never  revoked. 

Borden  went  to  Yale  in  1905  with  high  ideals.     He  knew 

77 


[VI-s]         CHRISTIAN  STANDARDS  IN  LIFE 

that  college  life  would  bring  great  testings  both  of  faith 
and  standards.  He  had  written  shortly  before,  "College  is 
so  near  and  there  will  be  such  a  lot  of  things  to  do — 
tremendous  opportunities."  It  was  his  fixed  purpose  to 
follow  Christ  and  hold  to  his  ideals  rather  than  to  accept 
conditions  as  he  found  them  and  follow  the  crowd. 

He  ent'^red  at  once  into  many  of  the  activities  of  under- 
graduate life.  He  took  part  in  various  forms  of  athletics, 
but  was  most  proficient  in  swimming,  sailing,  rowing,  wrest- 
ling, tennis,  and  golf.  He  rowed  Number  4  in  his  class  crew. 
On  the  wrestling  mat  he  was  said  to  have  the  strength  of  a 
bull,  and  while  at  Yale  he  specialized  in  this  branch  of  sport. 
His  scholarship  was  of  a  high  character,  as  was  seen  in  the 
fact  that  he  was  elected  president  of  Phi  Beta  Kappa. 

Around  Dwight  Hall,  the  headquarters  of  the  Young 
Men's  Christian  Association,  he  was  one  of  the  most  active 
men.  A  tireless  worker  on  the  Missionary  Committee,  a 
most  painstaking  and  efficient  Mission  Study  class  leader, 
an  enthusiastic  member  of  the  Student  Volunteer  Band,  he 
did  a  far-reaching  missionary  work.  As  a  Bible-group  leader 
he  was  successful  because  he  put  great  pains  into  his  prepara- 
tion and  followed  up  each  man  in  his  group.  One  of  his 
friends  mentions  his  "not  having  a  Bible  group  except  among 
the  'hardest  nuts'  in  the  class."  In  fact,  the  most  useful 
feature  of  his  religious  efforts  was  his  work  with  individuals. 
Once  he  wrote,  "I  tried  three  times  to  see  that  Hill  fellow 
who  is  in  with  the  bad  bunch,  but  couldn't  find  him.  I  hope 
to  be  able  to  make  another  effort  before  I  leave." 

But  he  did  not  forget  the  needs  beyond  the  campus.  With 
a  friend  he  founded  the  Yale  Hope  Mission  as  a  sort  of 
Jerry  McAuley  Mission  for  New  Haven.  Not  only  a  large 
share  of  the  financial  responsibility  for  this  work,  but  after 
the  first  year  the  burden  of  its  direction  was  chiefly  on  his 
shoulders.  To  the  habitues  of  the  place  it  was  a  familiar 
sight  to  see  Bill  Borden  on  his  knees  with  his  arm  around 
the  shoulders  of  a  down-and-out,  praying  with  him  and 
showing  him  the  way  to  a  restored  manhood. 

78 


STEWARDSHIP  IN  DAILY  LIVING        [VI-s] 

When  Borden  was  graduated  in  1909  he  declined  to  remain 
at  Yale  as  Secretary  of  the  Christian  Association,  but  plunged 
into  his  theological  work  at  Princeton  Theological  Seminary. 
Here  he  did  the  same  solid  work  as  at  Yale ;  and  here,  too, 
he  found  time  for  outside  interests,  such  as  the  Yale  Hope 
Mission  in  New  Haven,  the  National  Bible  Institute  in  New 
York,  the  Moody  Bible  Institute  in  Chicago,  and  a  colored 
church  in  Princeton.  On  the  completion  of  his  theological 
course  in  1912  he  was  for  some  months  a  Traveling  Secretary 
of  the  Student  Volunteer  Movement,  visiting  colleges  in  the 
East  and  South,  and  winning  men's  interest  and  service  for 
the  peoples  of  non-Christian  lands.  After  being  ordained  to 
the  ministry',  he  went  to  Cairo,  Egj-pt,  where  he  was  to  spend 
a  year  in  the  study  of  Arabic  and  Islam  under  his  friend, 
Dr.  S.  M.  Zwemer,  and  others.  He  was  then  to  go  on  to  the 
Farther  East  to  take  up  his  work  among  the  Moslems  of 
China.  But  after  three  months  in  Cairo,  devoted  to  study, 
in  which  he  made  striking  progress,  and  to  active  Christian 
service  in  varied  forms,  he  was  stricken  with  meningitis  and 
died  on  April  9,  1913.  It  turned  out  that  after  all  his  prep- 
aration had  been  not  for  China  but  for  wider  areas. 

And  as  those  who  knew  Borden  look  up  and  down  their 
memories  of  his  life  they  say :  "There  was  a  rock-ribbed 
soul,  as  severe  with  himself  as  he  was  tender  with  others, 
denying  himself  daily  and  seeking  always  to  fulfill  the  wish 
of  One  whom  he  called  Alaster  and  Lord.  His  life  con- 
sisted not  in  his  great  wealth  nor  in  the  abundance  of  other 
things  that  he  possessed,  but  in  the  using  of  all  as  a  trust. 
'It  is  required  in  stewards  that  a  man  be  found  faithful,'  and 
Bill  Borden  was  a  'faithful  and  wise  steward.' " 

II 

It  was  this  sense  of  stewardship  that  made  Borden  a 
missionary.  As  a  youngster  of  eight  he  had  written  his  life 
ambition  on  a  slip  of  paper  which  was  not  read  till  ten  years 
later,  "I  want  to  be  a  honest  man  when  I  grow  up  and  true 

79 


[VI-s]         CHRISTIAN  STANDARDS  IN  LIFE 

and  Ibveing  and  faithful  man."  Short  as  his  Hfe  was,  he 
lived  that  purpose  through,  with  the  accent  on  the  "faithful." 
His  prayer  was  that  God  might  work  in  him  His  perfect  will; 
and  having  taken  this  attitude,  he  was  in  a  safe  position  to 
determine  his  life-work — for  no  man  is  ready  to  fix  upon 
his  career  until  he  gives  himself  entirely  to  the  direction  of 
the  will  of  God  and  reckons  his  life  a  trust.  Before  entering 
Yale  he  had  at  first  hand  studied  conditions  in  mission  lands 
and  had  read  widely  on  the  various  fields.  The  facts  were 
compelling,  and  as  Borden  prayed  they  became  the  call  of 
God  to  the  foreign  mission  field.  There  was  no  vision  in  the 
night,  no  ecstatic  mood,  but  a  calm  deliberate  decision.  So 
he  came  to  Yale  with  his  life  purpose  defined.  He  was 
to  be  a  foreign  missionary.  He  was  deeply  interested  in 
China  and  hoped  to  do  his  life-work  there.  Then  at  the 
Nashville  Convention  of  the  Student  Volunteer  Movement 
in  1906  the  Moslem  problem  began  to  appeal  strongly  to  him, 
and  from  that  time  on  he  was  eager  to  work  among  Moslems. 
Next,  like  the  first  missionary  to  the  Gentiles,  he  became 
"ambitious  not  to  build  on  another's  foundation."  And  when 
after  long  and  earnest  prayer  he  felt  himself  irresistibly 
drawn  to  pioneer  work  among  the  Mohammedans  of  China, 
he  found  the  opportunity  to  satisfy  all  three  ambitions. 

The  watchword  of  the  Student  Volunteer  Movement,  "The 
Evangelization  of  the  World  in  this  Generation,"  appealed 
strongly  to  Borden.  He  gave  deep  study  to  it,  became  one 
of  its  most  intelligent  and  enthusiastic  exponents  and  allowed 
it  to  become  a  ruling  passion  within  him.  He  chose  a 
missionary  thesis  for  his  Master's  degree,  which  he  planned 
to  take  at  Yale.  Both  at  Yale  and  Princeton  and  as  a 
traveling  secretary  of  the  Student  Volunteer  Movement,  he 
was  an  untiring  recruiting  officer  for  missionary  service. 

Ill 

I  am  God's  steward  of  my  life.  My  life  is  lived  a  day  at 
a  time.    Therefore  I  am  God's  steward  of  each  day.    Borden's 

80 


STEWARDSHIP  IN  DAILY  LIVING        [VI-s] 

conscience  bowed  to  the  summons  of  the  syllogism.  He  held 
his  days  and  hours  in  trust  for  God.  The  students  and 
professors  at  both  Yale  and  Princeton  were  impressed  by  the 
intensity  and  thoroughness  of  his  work.  It  was  not  that  he 
cared  for  honors.  But  there  was  an  exacting  life-work 
ahead  and  he  must  prepare  himself  for  it.  Persistently  he 
investigated  the  conditions  throughout  his  entire  parish,  which 
was  the  world.  The  same  thoroughness  characterized  his 
further  preparation  in  Egypt.  In  and  about  Cairo,  the 
intellectual  capital  of  Islam,  he  studied  the  Moslem  problem 
and  plunged  into  the  study  of  Arabic,  the  most  difficult 
language  in  the  world,  next  to  the  Chinese.  He  even  tackled 
the  colloquial  Egyptian,  that  he  might  learn  Arabic  from 
certain  Sheikhs  who  could  speak  no  English. 

He  delitferately  gave  time  in  Yale,  Princeton,  and  Cairo  to 
a  wide  variety  of  religious  activities.  In  the  same  spirit  he 
was  always  available  to  help  individual  men.  As  a  friend 
put  it,  "He  was  generous  of  his  time  in  the  service  of  others 
and  niggardly  in  using  it  for  selfish  ends."  And  in  precisely 
the  same  spirit  he  found  time  for  athletics.  He  took  pains 
to  make  his  body  an  efficient  instrument  of  his  mind  and 
heart.  "Physically,"  said  one  of  his  fellow-students,  "he 
was  one  of  the  strongest  men  I  have  ever  known." 

He  was  deeply  conscientious  in  safeguarding  time  for  his 
private  devotional  life.  He  was  a  tireless  student  of  the 
Bible,  not  only  studying  it  intensively  each  day  at  his  Morn- 
ing Watch,  but  also  investigating  its  teaching  on  special 
themes  and  reading  two  or  three  chapters  each  night  before 
retiring.  Prayer  was  to  him  a  normal,  necessary  process  in 
the  development  of  Christ-like  character.  He  prayed  for 
victory  over  his  own  brusqueness  and  impatience  and  for 
other  victories  in  the  field  of  character.  But  his  prayer-life 
was  not  self-centered.  Among  his  papers  a  seven-page 
memorandum  of  special  objects  for  prayer  was  found,  in- 
cluding both  individuals  and  movements  and  literally  cover- 
ing all  the  inhabited  areas  of  the  earth.  It  was  because  he 
believed   so  implicitly  in  the  efficacy  of  prayer  that  he  was 

8i 


[VI-s]         CHRISTIAN  STANDARDS  IN  LIFE 

always   eager  to   enlist  his    friends   in   intercession   both    for 
himself  and  for  things  in  which  he  was  especially  interested. 
Thus  to  Borden  time  was  a  talent  and  no  part  of  it  was 
to  be  "laid  up  in  a  napkin." 

IV 

Of  his  influence  he  was  an  equally  careful  trustee.  Vigor- 
ously antagonistic  to  every  evil  tendency,  he  threw  his  whole 
weight  aggressively  on  the  side  of  the  things  in  which  he 
believed. 

It  is  little  wonder  that  a  man  like  this  left  his  mark  on 
Yale.  He  hoped  he  might  do  it.  In  a  letter  which  he  wrote 
just  after  his  Freshman  year  opened,  he  referred  to  certain 
college  evils  which  had  already  come  to  his  notice.  "Rather 
a  hopeless  state  of  affairs.  ...  I  hope  to  be  able  to  do  some- 
thing, by  the  grace  of  God,  to  mend  matters."  And  he  did 
a  good  deal  of  mending.  An  instance  of  this  occurred  when 
in  his  Freshman  year  he  and  a  few  classmates  influenced 
upper-classmen  to  prevent  a  carousal  which  fifty  Freshmen 
were  planning  to  hold.  Professor  Henry  B.  Wright,  who 
knew  Borden  well,  gives  this  opinion :  "Few  men  at  Yale 
have  left  so  strong  an  impress  on  the  character  of  men  of 
their  time  as  Borden  did.  .  .  .  No  undergraduate  since  I 
have  been  connected  with  Yale  has  done  so  much  for  Christ 
in  four  short  years  as  Bill  did." 

His  influence  was  both  wide  and  deep  though  he  was 
unwilling  to  alter  his  principles  a  hairbreadth  to  win  favor. 
Indeed  his  unyielding,  almost  stubborn,  adherence  to  his  high 
standards  cost  him  popularity  in  some  quarters.  Some 
thought  him  lacking  in  tolerance  and  at  times  in  patience.  But 
always  he  was  "a  considerate  and  loving  friend  even  to  those 
from  whom  he  differed  in  opinions."  And,  unbending  as  he 
was  in  every  matter  of  principle,  he  had  a  geniality  that  won 
men.  He  was  a  keen  "rough-houser"  and  had  a  great  fund 
of  merriment.  The  old  sea-captain  who  sailed  the  Borden 
yacht  for  ten  years  put  it  well:  "If  any  one  showed  on  their 

82 


STEWARDSHIP  IN  DAILY  LIVING        [VI-s] 

outside  the  happiness  of  being  a  Christian,  it  was  Mr. 
Borden." 

Every  instinct  in  him,  combined  with  his  eager  desire  to 
serve  men,  made  Borden  anxious  to  conceal  those  accidental 
possessions  that  might  seem  to  differentiate  him  from  his 
fellows.  He  lived  modestly  just  as  one  more  man  among 
men. 

Some  prospective  missionaries  hope  to  begin  to  lead  men 
into  the  Christian  life  when  they  reach  the  mission  field.  To 
Borden  such  a  postponement  would  have  been  the  betrayal  of 
a  trust,  since  he  had  influence  to  invest  along  the  way.  While 
in  London,  before  he  went  to  college,  he  spent  an  afternoon 
trying  to  locate  a  man  to  whom  he  had  presented  Christ 
the  night  before.  In  his  sophomore  year  he  roomed  with  a 
student  for  the  sake  of  seeing  him  become  a  Christian.  He 
saw  college  men  in  their  rooms,  he  tracked  them  to  evil 
resorts,  he  followed  them  up  with  letters,  if  by  all  means  he 
might  save  some.  Now  it  was  a  Jew  in  New  Haven,  now  a 
Brahmin  on  a  steamer,  now  an  aristocrat  in  a  drawing-room, 
now  a  discharged  butler,  now  a  prisoner  behind  bars.  From 
Cairo  he  wrote  a  friendly  letter  to  convict  No.  2724,  then 
at  liberty  and  a  Christian,  asking  his  prayers  in  behalf  of  a 
Moslem  woman.  And  it  must  not  be  thought  that  because 
Borden  did  so  much  of  this  work  it  was  easy  for  him.  To 
the  very  end  he  had  to  overcome  a  painful  diffidence  in 
personal  work.  On  one  occasion  he  called  on  a  fellow-student 
to  talk  with  him  about  his  spiritual  life;  but  after  an  hour's 
struggle  with  himself  he  left  without  having  as  much  as 
raised  the  subject.  He  persisted,  however,  in  doing  his  duty 
and  the  influence  he  invested  in  personal  work  brought  large 
returns. 

V 

The  same  principle  of  stewardship  determined  the  use  of 
his  money.  He  was  a  careful  administrator  of  the  property 
which  he  had  inherited.  Money  was  not  "filthy  lucre"  to  him, 
but  an  agency  for  the  highest  uses.     He  therefore  kept  it 

83 


[VI-s]        CHRISTIAN  STANDARDS  IN  LIFE 

steadily  at  work.  His  financial  agent  made  the  strictest 
accountings  and  Borden  himself  kept  accurate  records  of  all 
of  his  expenditures.  He  was  far  from  being  an  ascetic  and 
he  was  not  niggardly  in  the  least,  but  as  a  follower  of  Christ 
he  felt  that  he  could  not  be  self-indulgent  and  so  spent 
little  on  himself. 

But  he  was  alert  for  opportunities  to  give  away  his  money 
wisely.  He  kept  in  a  separate  account  the  funds  that  were 
set  apart  for  benevolences  and  told  his  financial  agent  that 
he  was  especially  concerned  about  that  account.  Half  of  a 
spending  allowance  received  from  his  father  on  his  seven- 
teenth birthday  was  turned  over  to  the  Young  Men's  Chris- 
tian Association  in  Osaka,  Japan,  where  he  was  staying  at 
the  time.  When  he  received  $2000  as  an  extra  dividend,  he 
immediately  distributed  it  all  to  good  causes.  He  supported 
and  helped  to  support  missionaries  in  more  than  one  field. 
These  and  what  he  gave  to  the  Mission  in  New  Haven  were 
but  a  few  of  his  gifts,  but  they  suggest  the  wide  range  of 
activities  in  all  parts  of  the  world  which  he  found  it  a 
pleasure  to  support.  It  should  be  added  that,  while  an  under- 
graduate at  Yale,  he  Hved  on  a  moderate  allowance  and  the 
contributions  which  he  made  were  possible  only  because  he 
practised  rigid  self-denial. 

All  this  was  done  unobtrusively.  He  wanted  his  share  in 
establishing  the  Yale  Hope  Mission  to  be  kept  secret.  In 
lists  of  donors  he  did  not  wish  even  his  initials  to  appear. 
And  in  the  quietest  ways  he  sent  his  money  out  on  kindly 
errands  in  a  hundred  directions. 

VI 

What  did  it  mean,  this  ideal  of  stewardship  that  shaped 
the  whole  character  and  career  of  William  Borden,  but  that 
he  himself  was  given  unreservedly  to  God  and  His  Kingdom? 
His  ideals  were  fixed,  and  neither  circumstances  without  nor 
casuistry  within  could  alter  them  for  a  day.  The  test  of 
wealth  and  social  position  was  a  hard  one,  but  he  met  it 

84 


STEWARDSHIP  IN  DAILY  LIVING        [VI-s] 

unswervingly;  for  he  had  set  the  will  of  God  as  the  polestar 
of  his  life.  He  did  not  accept  it  passively  as  many  do,  but  he 
went  out  to  meet  it  and  seized  it  and  loved  it  and  lived  by 
it.  In  his  mind  the  uppermost  aspect  of  the  will  of  God 
was  the  Divine  will  for  the  world's  redemption.  This  thought 
was  with  him  up  to  his  last  conscious  moments;  and  even  in 
his  delirium  he  talked  of  nothing  else. 

Who,  then,  shall  say  that  his  life  was  broken  off,  or  cut 
short?  Many  who  loved  Bill  Borden  are  steadied  by  the 
thought  that  since  his  one  ambition  was  that  God's  perfect 
will  might  be  done  in  him  and  through  him,  and  since  it  was 
that  perfect  will  that  called  him  away,  his  work  on  earth 
must  have  been  rounded  and  complete. 

For  further  reading — Samuel  M.  Zwemer :  "William  Whit- 
ing Borden." 

Suggestions  for  Thought  and  Discussion 

What  are  our  resources? 

What  were  Borden's  resources?  In  what  respect  were  they 
out  of  the  ordinary? 

What  is  the  relation   of  resources  to  stewardship  responsi- 
bility? 

To  what  extent  were  Borden's  social  connections  an  asset 
or  a  liability?     How  did  he  regard  them? 

Was  Borden  responsible  for  greater  influence  because  of 
his  wealth? 

How  far  is  a  person  responsible  for  the  loss  to  the  world 
of  his  neglected  or  undeveloped  personal  talents? 

What  is  involved  in  stewardship  in  the  use  of  resources? 

What  is  the  difference  between  being  busy  and  being  a 
steward  of  one's  time?  What  can  be  learned  from  Borden's 
life? 

How  far  is  Borden's  plan  of  keeping  a  minute  account  of 
expenditure  a  guarantee  of   money  stewardship? 

85 


[VI-s]        CHRISTIAN  STANDARDS  IN  LIFE 

Is  it  possible  to  be  a  steward  without  keeping  an  account 
of  money  and  time  expenditures? 

To  what  extent  is  preventable  ill-health  a  violation  of  the 
principles  of  stewardship? 

Does  a  life  governed  by  a  sense  of  stewardship  lose  its 
freedom? 

What  is  the  purpose  of  stewardship  of  resources^ 

What  was  the  place  of  resources  and  of  stewardship  in 
Borden's  achievements?  What  can  be  said  in  general? 

What  was  the  influence  of  Borden's  sense  of  stewardship 
on  his  Hfework  decision? 

To  whom  are  we  responsible  as  stewards  of  our  resources? 

What  resources  have  college  students  which  imply  immediate 
obligations  of  stewardship? 

Additional  Topics  for  Investigation  and  Report 

Give  a  sketch  of  the  Student  Volunteer  Movement.  Ex- 
plain the  watchword   of  the   Movement. 

What  are  the  main  points  in  the  belief  of  Mohammedans? 

In  what  non-Christian  countries  of  the  world  are  there  no 
Christian   missionaries? 


86 


CHAPTER  VII 

THE  GOSPEL  OF  A  SECOND  CHANCE 

SAMUEL   HOPKINS   HADLEY 

Daily  Readings 

Men  as  a  rule  are  not  very  merciful  over  failure.  They 
forget  that  some  of  our  most  successful  leaders  started  off 
badly.  Some  men  have  failed  many  times,  and  yet  have 
turned  again  and  made  good. 

I.    Jesus  would  not  let  His  friend  Peter  go 

Before  the  critical  temptation  that  came  to  Peter,  Jesus 
was  afraid  Peter  would  fall. 

Simon,  Simon,  behold,  Satan  asked  to  have  you, 
that  he  might  sift  you  as  wheat :  I  made  supplication 
for  thee,  that  thy  faith  fail  not. — Luke  22:31,  :i2. 

Then  after  the  mean  denial,  after  Peter's  complete  disown- 
ing of  his  friendship  with  his  Master,  see  Jesus'  fine  way  of 
taking  Peter  back  again.  The  three  denials  are  brought  to 
mind  in  three  commissions  for  service. 

So  when  they  had  broken  their  fast,  Jesus  saith  to 
Simon  Peter,  Simon,  son  of  John,  lovest  thou  me 
more  than  these?  He  saith  unto  him.  Yea,  Lord; 
thou  knowest  that  I  love  thee.  He  saith  unto  him. 
Feed  my  lambs.  He  saith  to  him  again  a  second 
time,  Simon,  son  of  John,  lovest  thou  me?  He  saith 
unto  him,  Yea,  Lord ;  thou  knowest  that  I  love  thee. 
He  saith  unto  him,  Tend  my  sheep.     He  saith  unto 

87 


[VII-^]       CHRISTIAN  STANDARDS  IN  LIFE 

him  the  third  time,  Simon,  son  of  John,  lovest  thou 
me?  Peter  was  grieved  because  he  said  unto  him  the 
third  time,  Lovest  thou  me?  And  he  said  unto  him. 
Lord,  thou  knowest  all  things ;  thou  knowest  that  I 
love  thee.  Jesus  saith  unto  him.  Feed  my  sheep. — 
John  21 :  15-17- 

How  would  we  treat  a  friend  who  treated  us  as  Peter 
treated  Jesus? 

2.  Barnabas  gives  Mark  a  second  chance 

And  after  some  days  Paul  said  unto  Barnabas,  Let 
us  return  now  and  visit  the  brethren  in  every  city 
wherein  we  proclaimed  the  word  of  the  Lord,  and  see 
how  they  fare.  And  Barnabas  was  minded  to  take 
with  them  John  also,  who  was  called  Mark.  But 
Paul  thought  not  good  to  take  with  them  him  who 
withdrew  from  them  from  Pamphylia,  and  went  not 
with  them  to  the  work.  And  there  arose  a  sharp  con- 
tention, so  that  they  parted  asunder  one  from  the 
other,  and  Barnabas  took  Mark  with  him,  and  sailed 
away  unto  Cyprus. — Acts   15  :  36-39- 

Mark  showed  the  white  feather  on  the  earlier  journey. 
Paul  was  just;  but  Barnabas  had  plenty  of  mercy,  and  gave 
the  quitter  one  more  chance. 

Do  we  believe  that  once  a  quitter  always  a  quitter?  Would 
we  care  to  he  judged  by  such  a  standard? 

3.  Zacchceus  the  Publican  makes  good  his  grafting 

The  publican  in  Palestine  was  the  petty  grafter — what  we 
call  the  "piker."  It  did  not  seem  possible  that  any  publican 
could  be  worthy  of  respect.  "So  He  entered  Jericho  and  was 
passing  through  the  town.  There  was  a  man  there  called 
Zacchaeus,  who  was  the  local  surveyor  of  taxes,  and  was 
wealthy.  He  was  anxious  to  see  what  sort  of  a  man  Jesus 
was ;  but  he  could  not  because  of  the  crowd,  for  he  was  short 
in  stature.     So  he  ran  on  in  front  and  climbed  up  a  mulberry 


THE  GOSPEL  OF  A  SECOND  CHANCE    [VII-4] 

tree  to  see  Him;  for  He  was  about  to  pass  that  way.  As 
soon  as  Jesus  came  to  the  place,  He  looked  up  and  said  to 
him,  'Zacchaeus,  come  down  quickly,  for  I  must  stay  at  your 
house  to-day.'  So  he  came  down  in  haste,  and  welcomed 
Him  joyfully.  When  they  all  saw  this,  they  began  to  com- 
plain with  indignation.  'He  is  gone  in  to  be  the  guest  of  a 
notorious  sinner !'  they  said.  Zacchseus  however  stood  up, 
and  addressing  the  Lord  said,  'Here  and  now.  Master,  I 
give  half  my  property  to  the  poor,  and  if  I  have  unjustly 
exacted  money  from  any  man,  I  pledge  myself  to  repay  to 
him  four  times  the  amount'  Turning  towards  him,  Jesus 
replied,  'To-day  salvation  has  come  to  this  house,  seeing 
that  he  too  is  a  son  of  Abraham.  For  the  Son  of  man  has 
come  to  seek  and  to  save  that  which  was  lost'"  (Luke  19: 
I- 10 — Weymouth) . 

Zacchseus  made  good  his  dishonesty.  This  same  kind  of 
restitution  happens  often  in  these  days  when  men  are  "con- 
verted" in  our  churches  and  missions. 

Is  not  such  a  "conversion"  worth  time  and  effort? 

4.     How  many  chances  should  a  man  have? 

Then  came  Peter  and  said  to  him,  Lord,  how  oft 
shall  my  brother  sin  against  me,  and  I  forgive  him? 
until  seven  times?  Jesus  saith  unto  him,  I  say  not 
unto  thee,  Until  seven  times ;  but.  Until  seventy  times 
seven.  Therefore  is  the  kingdom  of  heaven  likened 
unto  a  certain  king,  who  would  make  a  reckoning 
with  his  servants.  And  when  he  had  begun  to  reckon, 
one  was  brought  unto  him,  that  owed  him  ten  thous- 
and talents.  But  forasmuch  as  he  had  not  wherewith 
to  pay,  his  lord  commanded  him  to  be  sold,  and  his 
wife,  and  children,  and  all  that  he  had,  and  payment 
to  be  made.  The  servant  therefore  fell  down  and 
worshipped  him,  saying,  Lord,  have  patience  with  me, 
and  I  will  pay  thee  all.  And  the  lord  of  that  servant, 
being  moved  with  compassion,  released  him,  and 
forgave  him  the  debt.  But  that  servant  went  out,  and 
found  one  of  his  fellow-servants,   who  owed  him  a 

89 


[VII-5]       CHRISTIAN  STANDARDS  IN  LIFE 

hundred  shillings :  and  he  laid  hold  on  him,  and  took 
him  by  the  throat,  saying.  Pay  what  thou  owest.  So 
his  fellow-servant  fell  down  and  besought  him,  say- 
ing. Have  patience  with  me,  and  I  will  pay  thee. 
And  he  would  not :  but  went  and  cast  him  into  prison, 
till  he  should  pay  that  which  was  due.  So  when  his 
fellow-servants  saw  what  was  done,  they  were  exceed- 
ing sorry,  and  came  and  told  their  lord  all  that  was 
done.  Then  his  lord  called  him  unto  him,  and  saith 
to  him,  Thou  wicked  servant,  I  forgave  thee  all  that 
debt,  because  thou  besoughtest  me :  shouldst  not  thou 
also  have  had  mercy  on  thy  fellow-servant,  even  as  I 
had  mercy  on  thee?  And  his  lord  was  wroth,  and 
delivered  him  to  the  tormentors,  till  he  should  pay  all 
that  was  due.  So  shall  also  my  heavenly  Father  do 
unto  you,  if  ye  forgive  not  every  one  his  brother  from 
your  hearts. — Matt.  18:21-35. 

Are  we  afraid  of  being  thought  "easy"  if  we  give  some  one 
else  too  many  chances? 

5.     God's  attitude  toward  the  failure  of  men 

In  the  story  of  the  prodigal  son,  Jesus  shows  the  attitude 
of  God  toward  the  man  who  fails.  When  the  prodigal  "came 
to  himself"   he  returned  to   his  father's  house. 

But  while  he  was  yet  afar  off,  his  father  saw  him, 
and  was  moved  with  compassion,  and  ran,  and  fell  on 
his  neck,  and  kissed  him.  And  the  son  said  unto  him, 
Father,  I  have  sinned  against  heaven,  and  in  thy 
sight :  I  am  no  more  worthy  to  be  called  thy  son.  But 
the  father  said  to  his  servants,  Bring  forth  quickly 
the  best  robe,  and  put  it  on  him ;  and  put  a  ring  on 
his  hand,  and  shoes  on  his  feet:  and  bring  the  fatted 
calf,  and  kill  it,  and  let  us  eat,  and  make  merry :  for 
this  my  son  was  dead,  and  is  alive  again;  he  was  lost, 
and  is  found.  And  they  began  to  be  merry. — Luke 
15 :  20-24. 

The  high  point  of  this  story  is  where  the  father  runs  to 

90 


THE  GOSPEL  OF  A  SECOND  CHANCE    [VII-6] 

meet   the   son.     Even   though   the   boy   had   gone   wrong   the 
father  still  believed  in  him. 
How  great  a  shock  can  our  coniidence  in  a  man  stand? 

6.  Who  will  first  cast  the  stone? 

The  Scribes  and  Pharisees  crowded  up  to  Jesus  with  a 
woman  who  had  failed.  They  asked  Jesus  if  she  should  not 
be  stoned  at  once  according  to  the  Mosaic  Law. 

But  Jesus  stooped  down,  and  with  his  finger  wrote 
on  the  ground.  But  when  they  continued  asking  him, 
he  lifted  up  himself,  and  said  unto  them.  He  that  is 
without  sin  among  you,  let  him  first  cast  a  stone  at 
her.  And  again  he  stooped  down,  and  with  his  finger 
wrote  on  the  ground.  And  they,  when  they  heard  it, 
went  out  one  by  one,  beginning  from  the  eldest,  even 
unto  the  last:  and  Jesus  was  left  alone,  and  the 
woman,  where  she  was,  in  the  midst.  And  Jesus 
lifted  up  himself,  and  said  unto  her.  Woman,  where 
are  they?  did  no  man  condemn  thee?  And  she  said, 
No  man,  Lord.  And  Jesus  said.  Neither  do  I  con- 
demn thee :  go  thy  way ;  from  henceforth  sin  no 
more. — John  8:6-ii. 

//  there  were  a  magician  present  who  could  read  our  inmost 
hearts,  would  we  dare  to  throw  that  stone? 

7.  The  great  purpose 

And  Levi  made  him  a  great  feast  in  his  house :  and 
there  was  a  great  multitude  of  publicans  and  of 
others  that  were  sitting  at  meat  with  them.  And  the 
Pharisees  and  their  scribes  murmured  against  his  dis- 
ciples, saying,  Why  do  ye  eat  and  drink  with  the  pub- 
licans and  sinners?  And  Jesus  answering  said  unto 
them.  They  that  are  in  health  have  no  need  of  a 
physician ;  but  they  that  are  sick.  I  am  not  come  to 
call  the  righteous  but  sinners  to  repentance. — Luke 
5 :  29-32. 

91 


[VII-s]       CHRISTIAN  STANDARDS  IN  LIFE 

Jesus'  mission  was  not  to  live  comfortably  among  good 
people,  but  to  help  wherever  He  could.  We  know  He  showed 
no  pride  or  self-righteousness  in  His  dealings  with  those  who 
were  doing  wrong. 

Is  the  great  purpose  of  our  lives  to  help  turn  other  people's 
failures  into  great  successes? 

Study  for  the  Week 


The  waste  of  civilized  society  is  appalling.  The  most  tran- 
sient pleasures  and  the  most  trifling  privileges  are  bought 
with  human  units  whose  value  cannot  be  computed.  Society 
seems  to  remain  largely  indifferent  to  this  disastrous  extrava- 
gance. Christians  are  only  just  beginning  to  feel  the  burden 
of  the  duty  of  stopping  this  terrible  exchange.  The  time 
will  come  when  men  will  not  have  that  wealth,  that  recrea- 
tion, or  that  privilege  which  has  cost  human  souls. 

There  is  an  enterprise  that  has  always  appealed  to  the  deep- 
est human  feelings — the  noble  attempt  made  by  strong  men 
and  women  to  reclaim  the  waste  of  society.  When  the  New 
Earth  has  come,  "rescue  work"  will  be  superfluous;  but  the 
time  is  not  yet.  Followers  of  the  Carpenter  of  Nazareth 
must  not  and  will  not  remain  unmoved  by  the  sight  of  those 
whose  sins  have  cast  them  on  the  scrap  heap.  They  must 
stretch  out  a  helping  hand.  And  the  great  work  of  rescue 
missions  leaves  us  this  great  word :  Trample  down,  Old 
World,  the  weak  ones  among  us,  mangle  them,  crush  them, 
beat  out  of  them  every  suggestion  of  ambition,  love,  joy,  honor, 
and  self-respect;  still  in  the  mercy  of  God  there  is  a  chance 
for  the  victim  here  and  now.  Rescue  workers  must  not  be 
expected  to  do  more  than  their  mission :  they  are  not  recon- 
structing society;  they  are  saving  the  lost. 

II 

There  is  nothing  more  pathetic  in  human  experience  than 
the  slow  dissolution  of  a  promising  life.     The  boy,   Samuel 

92 


THE  GOSPEL  OF  A  SECOND  CHANCE    [VII-s] 

Hadley,  living  in  a  Christian  home  on  an  Ohio  farm,  should 
have  been  safe.  We  know  that  he  had  marked  ability;  that 
he  was  kindhearted  and  reverent;  we  know  that  he  had  a 
good  father  and  mother,  and  that  his  sisters'  influence  was 
of  the  very  best.  Yet  at  the  age  of  twenty-five  the  two  habits 
of  gambling  and  intemperance  had  such  a  hold  upon  him 
that  a  decided  religious  experience  did  not  break  them  up. 
Samuel  Hadley  made  a  personal  declaration  for  the  Christian 
life  at  this  time  and  joined  the  church,  but  the  evil  habits 
broke  up  his  sincere  repentance  and  turned  him  away  from 
his  allegiance.  There  seems  to  be  no  evidence  of  any  funda- 
mental viciousness  in  his  life  as  a  young  man — just  drifting, 
drifting,  drifting.  But  the  record  in  his  own  words  of  a 
sordid  gambling  spree  lasting  four  days,  marks  the  distance 
that  one  may  travel  even  by  drifting. 

In  1870,  when  Hadley  was  twenty-eight  years  old,  his  record 
was  so  shady  that  he  had  to  leave  Ohio.  His  brother,  Col. 
Henry  H.  Hadley,  then  lived  in  New  York.  Through  him 
Samuel  Hadley  secured  a  good  position  in  New  York.  He 
married  at  this  time,  but  lost  his  wife  shortly  after  the  birth 
of  his  son.  From  this  time  on  his  life  presents  a  curious  pic- 
ture of  outward  respectability  and  inward  rottenness.  His 
brother  was  a  man  with  position  and  influence;  but,  being  a 
hard  drinker  himself,  could  give  Samuel  little  help  at  the 
place  of  his  greatest  need.  These  two  had  been  inseparable 
as  boys,  and  Col.  Hadley  now  did  everything  he  could  to  put 
his  brother  on  his  feet.  But  the  disintegrating  process  went 
on.  Still,  there  was  somehow  maintained  a  superficial  ap- 
pearance that  enabled  Samuel  Hadley  to  win  a  second  faith- 
ful and  devoted  wife  though  he  had  begun  to  add  out-and- 
out  crime  to  his  other  misdemeanors.  This  faithful  wife 
nursed  him  through  the  inevitable  physical  collapses  that 
followed  his  excesses. 

The  end  seemed  near  after  this  tempestuous  life  had  run 
for  forty  years.  Men  generally  think  of  character  as  fixed 
unalterably  at  this  time  of  life.  The  culmination  of  this  char- 
acter seemed  to  be  utter  ruin.    Samuel  Hadley  was  a  "down- 

93 


[Vll-s]       CHRISTIAN  STANDARDS  IN  LIFE 

and-out" — a  persistent  liar  and  drunkard,  a  forger  and  a 
thief.  The  newly-made  home  was  broken  up  and  friends 
were  gone. 

Then  one  night  came  a  curious  experience.  He  had  wan- 
dered around  about  four  days  without  food,  suffering  terrible 
agony  with  delirium  tremens,  when  suddenly  in  a  disreputable 
saloon  there  flashed  across  him  some  strange  and  vivid  sense 
of  his  condition.  The  realization  of  his  danger  became  so 
clear  to  him  that  he  made  his  way  to  a  police  station  and 
asked  to  be  locked  up  so  that  he  could  not  get  any  more 
liquor.  The  authorities  were  kind  to  him  and  kept  him  until 
he  regained  a  reasonable  control  over  himself.  He  went  at 
once  to  his  brother's  house  where  he  was  received  with  every 
kindness.  Nothing  that  he  had  ever  done  had  closed  this  home 
to  him. 

It  was  the  next  Sunday  night  that  he  found  his  way  to  the 
Jerry  McAuley  Cremornc  Mission.  There  he  met  for  the 
first  time  the  strange  and  wonderful  Jerry.  Jerry  had  be- 
come a  Christian  while  he  was  serving  a  long  term  in  Sing 
Sing  prison.  Up  to  the  time  of  his  pardon  this  uneducated 
convict  had  made  many  converts  among  the  prisoners;  but 
after  his  release,  cast  without  friends  into  the  slums  of  the 
great  city,  he  had  fallen  into  his  old  ways  again.  But  finally, 
after  repeated  failures,  Jerry  came  to  himself,  and  established 
two  missions  for  the  "down-and-out."  These  were  the  first 
rescue  missions.  Hadley  says  that  in  these  places  "the  drunk- 
ard was  more  welcome  than  the  sober  man,  the  thief  than  the 
honest  man,  the  harlot  than  the  beautiful,  pure  woman." 

Hadley  went  forward  thaT  mght  and  kneeled  before  Jerry 
McAuley.  Jerry  said:  "Brother,  pray."  "I  can't  pray. 
Won't  you  pray  for  me?" 

"All  the  prayers  in  the  world  won't  save  you  unless  you 
pray  for  yourself." 

Then — 

"Dear  Jesus,  can  you  help  me?" 

That  is  the  prayer  of  the  beaten  man ;  the  whipped,  cowed, 
lost  soul.     Remember  that  all  those  things  that  help   us  to 

94 


THE  GOSPEL  OF  A  SECOND  CHANCE   [VII-s] 

carry  our  heads  up  had  failed.  Manly  pride,  the  sense  of 
decency,  the  care  of  friends,  the  love  of  a  true  and  noble 
woman — all  these  were  powerless  to  prevent  the  wreck. 
Christian  ideals  had  long  since  departed,  the  simple  code  of 
a  gentleman  had  become  meaningless.  But  through  the  per- 
sonal testimony  of  Jerry  McAuley  had  come  the  realization 
of  God's  passionate  interest  in  man  and  of  the  supreme  self- 
less devotion  of  God's  Son.  Principles,  ideals,  these  were 
empty  words;  the  call  was  to  a  new  appreciation  of  life  to 
be  found  in  a  relation  to  a  Person.  Explanations  are  idle: 
Samuel  Hadley  was  a  changed  man  from  that  night.  He  went 
back  to  his  brother's  house.  The  first  words  he  spoke  were : 
"Harry,  I  was  saved  to-night  at  Jerry  McAuley's  Mission, 
but  I  feel  awful  weak,  and  hope  you  won't  criticize  me  too 
closely."  Col.  Hadley  rose  suddenly  from  his  chair  and 
walked  to  the  window  and  when  he  turned  again  there  was 
"something  shining  on  his  cheek."  And  the  home  was  still 
open  to  Samuel  Hadley. 

So  came  a  Power  that  set  up  again  all  the  standards  that 
were  destroyed.  It  is  significant  that  Samuel  Hadley  began  at 
once  to  set  the  rules  of  purity,  truth,  and  justice  beside  his 
own  life.  First  he  made  a  clean  breast  of  it  to  the  man  he 
had  injured  by  no  less  than  one  hundred  and  twenty-five 
forgeries.  In  another  matter  the  newly-awakened  conscience 
acted  with  speed  and  precision.  Samuel  Hadley  had  long 
persisted  in  a  senseless  and  elaborate  lie  about  the  cause  of 
his  lameness.  Even  his  own  wife  believed  that  it  was  due 
to  a  wound  received  in  the  Civil  War.  The  shameful  folly 
had  gone  so  far  that  he  had  chosen  a  battle  and  a  regiment  to 
make  his  narrative  life-like.  Such  a  piece  of  absurdity  is 
important  as  it  indicated  the  pass  to  which  the  man  had 
come,  and  Col.  Hadley  was  not  far  wrong  when  he  said  to 
his  own  wife  that  he  would  believe  in  "Sam's  conversion" 
if  he  made  good  that  lie.    The  lie  was  made  good  at  once. 

The  broken  home  was  restored;  and  at  its  head  was  a  new 
man — an  honest,  industrious,  unselfish  citizen.  One  of  the 
most  important  immediate  results  was  that  Col.  Hadley  was 

95 


[VII-s]       CHRISTIAN  STANDARDS  IN  LIFE 

so  impressed  by  the  whole  experience  that  he  decided  to 
follow  his  brother  in  a  new  and  wholehearted  commitment 
to  God  and  His  service.  A  most  wonderful  sequel  to  the 
work  of  Samuel  Hadley  is  the  story  of  the  great  achievement 
of  Col.  Hadley  in  the  service  for  the  weak,  the  poor,  and 
the  sinful  in  New  York  City. 

Two  years  after  his  conversion  Samuel  Hadley  was  in 
possession  of  an  assured  income.  The  future  was  bright  with 
promise  of  increased  usefulness  and  prosperity.  His  course 
was  then  suddenly  deflected  by  an  invitation  to  take  charge 
of  the  Jerry  McAuley  Water  Street  Mission,  the  first  mission 
founded  by  Jerry  McAuley.  When  he  was  quite  clear  in  his 
mind  that  this  was  the  right  thing  to  do,  he  took  up  the 
work  promptly  and  gladly.  From  this  time,  1882,  till  his 
death  in  1906,  Samuel  Hadley  and  his  wife  conducted  the 
great  rescue  work  in  Water  Street.  They  lived  practically 
all  of  this  time  in  rooms  above  the  mission  hall.  Once  or 
twice  they  tried  a  flat  in  some  other  part  of  the  city,  but  the 
experiment  was  a  failure ;  they  came  again  finally  to  live 
among  the  people  with  whom  they  had  cast  their  lot. 

Ill 

There  are  many  hundreds  of  men  and  women  alive  to-day 
who  knew  Samuel  Hadley  and  his  work.  The  witness  of  his 
success  rests  not  upon  the  shifting  opinions  of  men  but  upon 
the  most  solid  facts.  In  all  our  great  cities  there  are  men 
and  women  who  have  gone  into  the  mission  wrecks  and  come 
out  saved — saved  in  this  life,  made  useful  now  for  the  service 
of  God  and  man.  Many  incredulous  ones  have  gone  down  to 
Water  Street  and  have  seen  and  heard.  The  deep,  almost 
unbelievable,  selfishness  of  the  former  Samuel  Hadley  was 
changed  into  the  absolute  and  complete  self  devotion  to  service 
of  the  missionary  to  the  outcasts.  That  is  the  strange  thing 
about  these  converts ;  almost  without  exception,  they  become 
vigorous  missionaries.  The  work  of  the  mission  is  carried 
on  by  the  personal  testimony  of  men  and  women  who  have 

96 


THE  GOSPEL  OF  A  SECOND  CHANCE   [VII-s] 

been  raised  from  among  the  outcasts.  The  Water  Street 
Mission  still  stands  open  to  the  view  of  him  who  doubts ;  this 
thing  was  not  done  "in  a  corner." 

The  work  is  carried  on  in  the  full  faith  that  the  Gospel 
of  Jesus  Christ  is  the  power  of  God  for  the  saving  of  man. 
To  a  distinct  and  special  mode  of  interpreting  that  Gospel  to 
human  derelicts  Samuel  Hadley  devoted  the  last  twenty-five 
years  of  his  life. 

IV 

In  spite  of  all  words  to  the  contrary,  the  most  appealing 
reason  for  the  existence  of  a  loving,  fatherly  God  is  the  exist- 
ence of  men  and  women  who  love  their  fellow-men.  And 
that  faith'  is  weakened  or  strengthened  according  to  the 
quality  and  persistence  of  the  "fellow-love"  of  those  with 
whom  the  doubter  comes  in  contact.  The  fact  of  Jesus  Christ 
is  called  the  supreme  argument  for  God  because  we  can  con- 
ceive of  no  love  that  could  be  more  perfect  than  the  love  of 
Jesus  Christ. 

Looking  into  his  own  experience  and  the  experience  of 
Jerry  McAuley,  Samuel  Hadley  was  convinced  that,  if  he 
was  really  determined  to  show  the  love  of  God  to  the  "down- 
and-out,"  he  must  give  himself  wholly  to  every  one  and  he 
must  never  let  ingratitude  or  failure  change  his  attitude 
toward  a  single  human  soul.  Jerry  McAuley's  own  story 
was  ever  before  him.  Failure  on  failure  only  threw  into 
bolder  relief  the  final  success.  Thus  Hadley  strove  always  to 
convince  these  wrecked  men  that  his  interest  in  them  was  com- 
plete and  endless.  There  is  a  sharp  challenge  in  his  own 
words:  "'Do  your  men  fall?'  How  often  have  I  been  askefi 
that  question.  Yes,  I  am  sorry  to  say  they  do  fall,  many  of 
them,  and  often  fall  many  times,  but  we  never  give  a  man 
up.  We  have  never  yet  had  a  chance  to  test  the  full  measure 
of  Jesus'  loving  commandment  to  forgive  seventy  times 
seven."  The  charity  of  Samuel  Hadley  and  the  Water  Street 
Mission  was  open-handed.  Food  and  clothing  were  freely 
given  to  the  poor  wretches  who  sought  them.     There  was  no 

07 


[VII-s]       CHRISTIAN  STANDARDS  IN  LIFE 

condition  but  their  need.  The  Gospel  message  was  given 
largely  by  converts  and  then  there  was  made  the  offer  to  help 
all  those  who  would  care  to  come  forward  and  lay  their  spe- 
cial needs  before  God.  This  simple  program  is  still  the  estab- 
lished order. 

Of  course,  the  crowd  that  taxed  the  capacity  of  the  halls 
was  always  full  of  "grafters."  Of  course,  there  were  many 
who  faked  conversions  in  the  hope  of  getting  something  out 
of  it.  Of  course,  many  took  a  stand  for  a  new  life  and  went 
from  the  door  to  an  orgy  of  drunkenness.  Could  any  shades 
of  hypocrisy  remain  hidden  from  a  man  who  had  gone  through 
the  experience  of  Samuel  Hadley?  He  bided  his  time.  So 
it  was  that  the  day  arrived  when  those  that  came  to  graft 
remained  to  pray.  There  are  today  converts  working  day  and 
night  for  their  fellows  over  this  whole  continent  who  first 
tackled  Samuel  Hadley  because  they  thought  him  an  easy 
mark. 

The  work  accomplished  by  Hadley  speaks  for  his  ability. 
No  one  can  deny  him  buoyant  courage,  exceptional  common 
sense,  administrative  ability,  a  sense  of  humor,  in  its  own 
way  an  intellectual  force  of  exceptional  quality — in  short,  the 
qualities  of  leadership.  Before  his  conversion  his  was  a  dis- 
organized life ;  it  lacked  standards,  direction,  motives.  In  his 
new  life  we  find  all  his  powers  well  in  hand  directed  to  a 
single  purpose,  every  vestige  of  disunion  gone.  How  was  the 
change  effected?  How  were  the  new  standards  set  up? 
There  was  no  time  for  education  slowly  to  build  a  solid  struc- 
ture, that  sure  foundation  that  years  of  sound  Christian 
training  always  lays  down.  Impersonal  principles  could  not 
touch  him.  He  was  led  by  the  witness  of  a  person  to  acquaint- 
ance with  a  standard  in  a  personal  Christ,  the  revealer  of  a 
personal  God.  He  saw  not  a  rule  of  life  to  which  he  must 
live  up,  but  a  fatherly  God  who  had  an  interest  in  him. 

So  it  was  with  those  whom  he  served.  They  came  in  the 
same  state  of  disunion  in  which  he  himself  had  been.  First 
of  all  he  made  them  feel  by  word  and  by  act  that  he,  Samuel 
Hadley,  was  deeply   interested   in  each  one  of  them.     This 

98 


THE  GOSPEL  OF  A  SECOND  CHANCE    [VII-s] 

was  no  easy  task  and  its  accomplishment  meant  the  know- 
ing exposure  of  himself  to  persistent  imposition.  But  he 
won.  They  used  words  like  these :  ''Whatever  S.  H.  Hadley 
may  say,  or  however  he  may  say  it,  I  know  he  loves  me 
because  I  am  a  lost  man." 

The  next  step  was  to  convince  them  that  his  own  friend- 
ship really  came  from  God  and  that  God's  love  for  each  man 
was  greater  than  "Sam"  Hadley's.  Jesus  Christ  was  brought 
before  them  as  a  Friend  and  Saviour,  as  one  who  was  both 
a  perfect  example  and  a  power  for  achievement.  Thus,  truth, 
justice,  righteousness  are  presented  in  the  vivid  form  of  the 
Master.  Only  thus  are  they  comprehensible  to  the  "down- 
and-out." 

The  change  sweeps  through  the  whole  life.  Ideals  and  ideas 
are  all  rearranged ;  the  course  of  thought  is  deflected  to  whole- 
some things,  and  right  conduct  becomes  a  matter  of  prime 
interest. 

Such  overturnings  are  miraculous  achievements.  Take  the 
case  of  an  inebriate  like  Samuel  Hadley.  The  habit  was  a 
part  of  his  very  physical  constitution ;  in  fighting  it,  he  had 
his  whole  nervous  system  against  him.  The  havoc  wrought 
by  alcoholism  in  the  purely  mental  powers  of  the  brain  is 
awful.  His  moral  sense  was  gone.  A  drunkard  is  always  a 
liar.  This  process  had  been  going  on  for  twenty-two  years. 
After  that  memorable  night  at  Jerry  McAuley's  Cremorne 
Mission,  Samuel  Hadley  never  touched  another  drop  of  liquor, 
and  in  a  period  measured  in  weeks  he  had  broken  with  every 
false  habit  of  his  life. 


This  remarkable  life  came  to  an  end  in  1906.  Funeral 
services  were  held  in  the  Water  Street  Mission  and  in  the 
old  John  Street  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  In  the  mission 
there  were  gathered  leading  business  and  professional  men, 
and  the  pastors  of  the  largest  city  churches,  and  over  against 
them  the  mass  of  those  who  had  turned  their  faces  to  God 

99 


[VII-s]       CHRISTIAN  STANDARDS  IN  LIFE      ^ 

under  his  influence.  The  situation  is  significant.  Whenever 
he  touched  the  leaders  of  the  day,  they  recognized  him  as  one 
entitled  to  stand  among  them.  He  was  always  welcome  at 
great  Christian  conferences  and  the  most  successful  min- 
isters were  the  most  eager  to  learn  from  him.  The  others, 
pathetic  even  in  their  success,  represented  his  life-work.  He 
worked  for  them  and  with  them  to  the  end.  He  was  no  mis- 
sionary to  the  slums,  he  was  the  friend  in  the  slums. 

Over  this  Hfe  is  written  one  word  for  the  human  race. — 
Hope! 

For  further  reading — Samuel  H.  Hadley :  "Down  in  Water 
Street." 

Suggestions  for  Thought  and  Discussion 
What  is  our  attitude  toward  men  who  fail? 

How  many  times  can  a  student  flunk  in  a  subject  and  still 
be  given  another  chance  ? 

How  many  chances  are  given  the  average  person  or  enter- 
prise to  make  good — business,  political  party,  student  who 
makes  a  fool  of  himself  as  a  freshman? 

What  is  our  standard  of  success  or  failure? 

In  college,  which  is  held  in  the  worse  light — the  violation  of 
the  moral  code  or  the  breaking  of  a  college  custom? 

How  do  we  regard  a  person  who  makes  no  profession  and 
lives  up  to  it  as  compared  to  the  person  who  tries  for  a 
high  ideal  and  fails? 

What  is  the  Christian  attitude  toward  failure? 

To  what  extent  should  Jesus'  words,  in  regard  to  giving  a 
man  another  chance  even  to  the  four  hundred  and  ninetieth 
time,  be  taken  literally? 

What  are  the  advantages  and  the  disadvantages  of  the 
rescue   mission  plan   of  giving  money  and  help   freely,   and 

100 


THE  GOSPEL  OF  A  SECOND  CHANCE    [VII-s] 

trusting  men   repeatedly?     Why   are   rescue   workers   willing 
to  do  it?    Do  you  feel  it  wise? 

What  is  the  secret  of  a  rescue  mission  being  able  to  rescue? 

Can  rescue  work  be  judged  by  the  same  standard  of  suc- 
cess as  a  social  settlement? 

What  does  it  really  mean  to  the  man  himself  who  is  down 
and  out  to  be  converted?  Does  this  differ  from  what  happens 
to  a  so-called  respectable  person  of  the  same  age? 

How  far  is  the  restitution  of  past  wrongs,  which  Hadley 
made,  an  essential  result  of  conversion? 

What  made  the  difference  in  Hadley's  total  effectiveness 
before  and  after  his  conversion? 

What  part  has  the  rescue  worker  in  actually  bringing  God's 
love  and  power  into  the  life  of  the  man? 

What  are  we  doing  to  help  turn  men's  failures  into  successes? 


I 

V 


lOI 


,  CHAPTER  VIII 

THE  AGGRESSIVENESS  OF  CHRIS- 
TIAN FAITH 

ADONIRAM    JUDSON 

Daily  Readings 

There  is  a  faith  that  submits  and  a  faith  that  aspires,  a  faith 
that  hangs  on  in  a  sort  of  desperation  and  a  faith  that  is 
optimistic,  a  faith  that  barely  keeps  alive  and  a  faith  that  is. 
robust  and  aggressive.  One  day  a  group  of  men  who  had 
already  given  proof  of  their  faith  in  God  broke  out  in  a 
common  petition,  ''Lord,  increase  our  faith."  How  often 
since  then  has  that  prayer  been  offered!  Again  and  again  it 
rises  from  the  lips  of  every  Christian  disciple.  And  when- 
ever the  petitioner  supplies  the  conditions,  God  supplies  the 
answer.    Adoniram  Judson  was  a  study  in  aggressive  faith. 

I.     The  first  requisite  of  faith 

To  possess  a  great  achieving  faith  a  man  must  accept  as 
the  first  premise  of  his  religious  life  the  utter  dependableness 
of  God.  In  his  firm  conviction  that  God  meant  to  the  farthest 
limit  whatever  He  promised,  Judson  stood  with  the  two  Chris- 
tian leaders  who  wrote  these  words  on  the  subject: 

The  Lord  is  not  slack  concerning  his  promise,  as 
some  count  slackness ;  but  is  longsuffering  to  you- 
ward,  not  wishing  that  any  should  perish,  but  that  all 
should  come  to  repentance. — II  Peter  3  :  9. 

For  how  many  soever  be  the  promises  of  God,  in 
him  is  the  yea :  wherefore  also  through  him  is  the 
102 


THE  AGGRESSIVENESS  OF  FAITH    [VIII-^] 

Amen,   unto  the  glory  of  God  through  us. — II   Cor. 
1 :  20. 

Do  we  trust  God  like  that? 

2.  Aggressive  faith  requires  that  a  man's  ambitions  should 
he  rightly  set 

Our  faith  aspires  in  the  direction  of  our  ambitions.  And 
can  ambition  take  a  truer  course  or  seek  a  loftier  aim  than 
actual  partnership  with  God  ?  When  young  Judson,  fired  with 
boundless  ambition  for  himself,  was  roused  to  the  fact  of 
God,  he  met  squarely  the  ancient  challenge : 

And  seeketh  thou  great  things  for  thyself?  seek 
them    not. — Jer.    45  :  5  ; 

and  transferred  his  ambitions  from  self  to  God.     From  that 
day  the  Kingdom  became  the  passion  of  his  life. 

But  seek  ye  first  his  kingdom,  and  his  righteous- 
ness ;  and  all  these  things  shall  be  added  unto  you. — 
Matt.  6:33- 

Are  we  seeking  great  things?    For  whom? 

3.  Large  faith  calls  for  a  personal  experience  of  God 

If  one's  faith  in  God  is  rich  and  genuine  he  declares  the 
good  news  not  as  a  working  theory,  but  as  a  proven  dynamic 
that  will  accomplish  all  he  claims  for  it.  Hear  Judson  as 
he  stands  there  in  the  Burman  market  place  crying  out : 

Ho,  every  one  that  thirsteth,  come  ye  to  the  waters, 
and  he  that  hath  no  money;  come  ye,  buy,  and  eat; 
yea,  come,  buy  wine  and  milk  without  money  and 
without  price. — Isa.  55  :  i. 

Had  he  not  gone  himself  to  the  "waters"  and  been  satisfied, 
his  invitation  to  thirsty  men  would  have  been  but  a  hollow 
mockery. 

103 


[VIII-4]     CHRISTIAN  STANDARDS  IN  LIFE 
Do  we  profess  anything  we  do  not  possess? 

4.  Can  failure  come  to  the  man  who  works  with  Godf 

The  prophets  of  Israel  were  first  concerned  that  they  really 
listened  to  God,  so  that  they  could  represent  Him  with  accu- 
racy.    Then  they  could  trust  for  results. 

So  shall  my  word  be  that  goeth  forth  out  of  my 
mouth:  it  shall  not  return  unto  me  void,  but  it  shall 
accomplish  that  which  I  please,  and  it  shall  prosper 
in  the  thing  whereto  I  sent  it. — Isa.  55:  11. 

The  grass  withereth,  the  flower  f  adeth ;  but  the 
word  of  our  God  shall  stand  for  ever. — Isa.  40 :  8. 

Are  the  influences  that  go  out  from  our  lives  so  touched 
with  the  divine  life  that  they  cannot  hut  he  fruitful? 

5.  Can  faith  and  fear  live  together? 

Judson  and  his  younger  companion,  Dr.  Price,  learned 
through  their  stay  in  Ava  that  persecution  need  never  mean 
the  loss  of  tranquillity  and  poise.  Like  Paul  and  Silas  they 
-could  even  sing  in  their  prison  amid  pain  and  privation. 

But  about  midnight  Paul  and  Silas  were  praying 
and  singing  hymns  unto  God,  and  the  prisoners  were 
listening  to  them. — Acts  16 :  25. 

Does  our  faith  bring  us  such  a  quiet,  restful  assurance  as 
this? 

6.  When  faith  is  aggressive,  it  is  not  liable  to  lapse 

My  heart  is  fixed,  O  God,  my  heart  is  fixed ; 
I  will  sing,  yea  I  will  sing  praises. — Psa.  57 :  7. 

Some  men's  faith  comes  and  goes  like  the  flashes  of  a  light- 
liouse.  Judson' s  stood  every  test — difficulties,  threats,  perse- 
cution,  delayed   answers.     Because  he   looked   steadily   away 

104 


THE  AGGRESSIVENESS  OF  FAITH    [VIII-7] 

from  his  own  limitations  to  the  resources  of  Christ  his  heart 
was  fixed.  He  wrote  in  a  letter,  November  7,  1816:  "We 
hope,  through  the  grace  of  God,  to  see  Eastern  India  begin- 
ning to  participate  in  the  same  glorious  light.  Many  years 
may  intervene  .  .  .  many  difficulties  and  disappointments 
may  try  j'-our  faith  and  ours.  But  let  patience  have  her  per- 
fect work;  let  us  not  be  weary  in  well  doing,  for  in  due  time 
we  shall  reap,  if  we  faint  not." 

Is  our  faith  aggressive  enough  to  be  stedfastf 

7.     Can  a  man  put  too  much  trust  in  God? 

Is  there  any  limit  to  the  reliability  or  availability  of  God? 
On  August  26,  1817,  Judson  wrote :  "I  have  no  doubt  that  God 
is  preparing  the  way  for  the  conversion  of  Burmah  to  His 
Son.  Nor  have  I  any  doubt  that  we  who  are  now  here  are  in 
some  little  way  contributing  to  this  glorious  event.  This 
thought  fills  me  with  joy."  Over  and  over  again  in  trium- 
phant faith  Judson  registered  convictions  which  suggest  the 
words  of  the  imprisoned  Paul : 

Now  unto  him  that  is  able  to  do  exceeding  abun- 
dantly above  all  that  we  ask  or  think,  according  to  the 
power  that  worketh  in  us. — Eph.  3 :  20. 

What  would  happen  if  we  really  believed  that  God  could  do 
more  than  we  can  ask  or  think  f 

Study  for  the  Week  ^ 


When  Adoniram  Judson,  then  19  years  of  age,  had  com- 
pleted his  course  at  Brown  University,  he  sent  this  letter  to 
his  father : 
"Dear  Father: 

I  have  got  it. 

Your  affectionate  son, 

A.  J." 

105 


[VIII-s]     CHRISTIAN  STANDARDS  IN  LIFE 

The  stern  Congregational  minister  knew  that  the  prize 
referred  to  was  his  son's  appointment  as  valedictorian,  and 
though  he  probably  expressed  no  emotion  he  was  enthusiastic 
over  the  message.  For  Adoniram,  from  his  earliest  years, 
had  been  almost  precociously  brilliant  and  the  father  had 
cherished  very  ambitious  plans  for  him.  Even  at  the  age 
of  ten  the  lad  had  quite  a  reputation  for  brightness,  espe- 
cially in  arithmetic.  At  the  grammar  school  he  was  nick- 
named "Old  Virgil  dug  up,"  and  was  known  for  his  advanced 
knowledge  of  Greek.  At  Brown  University  he  had  kept  up 
the  pace,  distancing  all  his  rivals  of  the  class-room,  and  the 
President  of  the  University  had  even  sent  a  letter  of  fulsome 
appreciation  to  the  boy's  father.  And  with  it  all  young  Judson 
had  displayed  fine  social  gifts  and  had  been  a  leader  wherever 
he  was.  He  was  a  man  distinguished  from  his  fellows  by 
striking   qualities. 

But  the  elder  Judson  was  no  more  ambitious  for  his  son 
than  the  son  was  for  himself.  He  set  himself  deliberately  a 
purely  selfish  ideal.  He  deliberately  subordinated  the  claims 
of  religion  to  his  personal  ambition.  At  college  he  had  come 
under  the  influence  of  French  rationalism,  which  was  then 
having  quite  a  vogue  in  America,  and  after  being  graduated 
in  1807  he  frankly  acknowledged  himself  a  skeptic.  He 
assured  himself  that  the  coast  was  now  clear,  that  with 
scruples  overcome  and  the  obligations  of  religion  disavowed, 
he  was  reasonably  justified  in  placing  self  in  control  of  his 
life. 

After  leaving  college  he  opened  a  private  academy  in 
Plymouth,  but  after  a  year  of  teaching  he  determined  to  see 
the  world.  He  drove  to  Albany  to  see  Robert  Fulton's  famous 
steamboat  and  took  a  trip  down  the  river  on  the  "Clermont." 
In  New  York  he  joined  "a  band  of  strolling  players,"  in 
order  to  see  more  of  "life."  Describing  this  experience  after- 
wards, he  said,  "We  lived  a  reckless,  vagabond  life,  finding 
lodgings  where  we  could,  running  up  a  score  and  decamping 
without  paying  the  reckoning."  During  this  time  he  lived 
under  an  assumed  name. 

106 


THE  AGGRESSIVENESS  OF  FAITH    [VIII-s] 

II 

Judson  was  not  even  a  Christian  when,  in  October  of  that 
year,  1808,  he  entered  Andover  Theological  Seminary. 
Shortly  before  this  the  death  of  a  Brown  University  man  in 
a  hotel  room  adjoining  his  had  shocked  him  into  a  deep  con- 
cern as  to  his  own  spiritual  condition.  Of  the  experiences 
through  which  he  passed  we  have  no  record,  but  we  read  this 
entry  made  on  December  2nd  in  his  journal:  "Made  a  solemn 
dedication  of  myself  to  God."  This  decision  marked  a  great 
change :  the  powers  that  were  bent  on  selfish  aims  and  "play- 
ing to  the  gallery"  were  turned  to  the  service  of  Christ  and 
His  people. 

While  he  was  at  Andover  there  fell  into  his  hands  the 
famous  sermon,  "The  Star  in  the  East,"  by  Dr.  Claudius 
Buchanan,  a  chaplain  to  the  East  India  Company.  This 
started  new  movements  in  his  mind  and  gave  a  new  direction 
to  his  career.  He  now  read  the  Bible  as  a  missionary  book, 
and  he  discovered  in  the  missionary  enterprise  a  task  noble 
and  large  and  difficult  enough  to  satisfy  his  own  great  ambi- 
tions. He  decided  to  be  a  foreign  missionary;  and  when  he 
was  promised  that  after  graduating  he  might  become  colleague 
to  the  pastor  of  the  largest  church  in  Boston,  the  offer  did 
not  hold  the  least  charm  for  him.  Then  there  came  to 
Andover  the  Haystack  Band,  headed  by  Samuel  J.  Mills,  all 
four  of  them  pledged  to  become  foreign  missionaries  if  God 
should  open  the  way.  Judson  at  once  joined  the  group  and 
soon  became  its  leader. 

Now  we  get  our  first  view  of  the  mighty  faith  that  was  to 
be  the  crowning  characteristic  of  Judson's  life-work.  As  yet 
no  foreign  missionaries  had  gone  from  America  and  there 
were  no  societies  to  send  men  abroad.  But  Judson  and  the 
otiiers  were  not  prepared  to  give  up  their  cherished  plans  on 
that  account.  They  believed  that  since  God  had  led  them  thus 
far  He  could  be  counted  upon  to  unlock  any  gates  that  might 
bar  their  way.  If  any  new  agency  should  be  needed  He  could 
be  trusted  to  bring  it  into  being.  And  God  rewarded  that 
confidence.     The  memorial  which  they  sent  to  the  General 

107 


[VIII-s]     CHRISTIAN  STANDARDS  IN  LIFE 

Association  of  Congregational  Churches  led  to  the  organiza- 
tion of  the  "American  Board  of  Commissioners  for  Foreign 
Missions."  And  on  Sept.  i8,  1811,  this  newly  formed  Society, 
with  high  faith  in  their  hearts  and  five  hundred  dollars  in 
their  treasury,  decided  to  send  out  Adoniram  Judson,  Samuel 
Newell,  Samuel  Nott,  Gordon  Hall,  and  Luther  Rice  as  their 
first  missionaries. 

The  journey  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Judson  from  Salem,  Massa- 
chusetts, to  Calcutta,  India,  was  a  tedious  one  covering  four 
months ;  but  it  was  historically  important  because  during  this 
period  they  determined  to  become  Baptists.  Luther  Rice, 
one  of  the  other  Andover  men  ordained  with  Judson,  had, 
in  the  course  of  his  journey  on  another  boat,  arrived  at  the 
same  decision  to  become  a  Baptist.  The  news  soon  reached 
the  Baptists  of  America  that  their  communion  had  three 
well-equipped  missionaries  already  on  the  mission  field.  It 
was  the  beckoning  hand  of  God;  and  on  May  18,  1814,  there 
was  organized  "The  General  Missionary  Convention  of  the 
Baptist  Denomination  in  the  United  States  of  America  for 
Foreign  Missions,"  now  known  as  "The  American  Baptist 
Foreign  Missionary  Society." 

Only  a  giant  faith  carried  Judson  through  the  difficulties 
that  followed.  The  East  India  Company,  which  was  in  virtual 
control  of  Indian  affairs,  ordered  him  and  the  other  American 
missionaries  to  return  to  the  United  States.  Was  this  to  be 
the  end  of  their  daring  venture  for  the  Good  News  of  God? 
Far  from  it.  The  story  of  how  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Judson  ignored 
the  instructions,  went  to  the  Isle  of  France  and  returned  to 
India  is  full  of  interest.  When  they  reached  Indian  soil  again 
they  found  themselves  facing  a  choice  between  Burma  and 
America.  They  did  not  take  long  to  decide;  and  after  a 
voyage  of  great  hardship,  during  which  Mrs.  Judson's  serv- 
ant died  and  her  own  life  was  despaired  of,  their  "crazy  old 
vessel"  dropped  anchor  in  the  harbor  of  Rangoon,  on  June 
13,  1813.  The  apostle  to  the  Burmans  had  at  last  reached  the 
field  of  his  life-work. 

The  Burma  to  which  Judson  came  was  an  independent 
108 


THE  AGGRESSIVENESS  OF  FAITH    [VIII-s] 

kingdom  containing  a  population  of  from  eight  to  ten  millions. 
The  capital  of  the  country  was  Ava,  the  Golden  City,  where 
the  King  resided  in  vulgar  magnificence,  a  typically  cruel  and 
despotic  Oriental  monarch.  The  Burmans  were  of  Mongolian 
stock  and  were  the  ruling  race,  the  rest  of  the  population 
consisting  of  the  Karens  and  other  half-wild  tribes  who  lived 
in  villages  in  the  jungles  and  along  the  rivers.  Judson  found 
the  Burmans  to  be  neither  ambitious  nor  very  industrious ; 
and  although  the  country  was  fertile  and  rich  in  minerals, 
there  was  very  little  of  commerce  or  manufacture.  Bribery 
and  extortion  were  shamelessly  practised  on  all  hands.  The 
religion  was  Buddhism,  beautiful  in  its  moral  code  but 
impotent  as  a  spiritual  force.  It  had  no  solution  for  the  prob- 
lems of  sin,  promised  no  future  life  and  denied  the  existence 
of  a  personal  God. 

Ill 

Here  then  stood  Judson  the  explorer  in  one  of  the  strong- 
holds of  a  mighty  non-Christian  faith,  an  alien  without  rights, 
every  Burman  about  him  a  Buddhist,  and  over  them  all  a 
Buddhist  potentate,  selfish  and  cruel,  ready  to  countenance 
the  torture  and  execution  of  any  one  who  would  renounce 
his  religion.  But  did  the  heart  of  the  Christian  pioneer  sink 
at  the  prospect?  One  will  search  in  vain  the  records  of  Chris- 
tianity since  the  days  of  the  first  missionary  to  the  Gentile 
world  for  a  brighter  example  of  optimistic  faith  than  this 
solitary  Christian  hero,  confronting  an  apparently  hopeless 
situation,  walled  in  on  every  side,  but  looking  up  through 
clear  spaces  to  the  very  throne  of  God.  Seven  long  years  he 
had  to  wait  before  he  saw  the  first  Burman  turn  from  Buddha, 
the  so-called  "Light  of  Asia,"  to  Christ,  the  true  Light  of  the 
World.  But  when  some  one  asked  him,  "What  are  the  pros- 
pects, Mr.  Judson,  for  the  conversion  of  Burma  to  Chris- 
tianity?" he  replied  without  hesitation,  "As  bright  as  the 
promises  of  God." 

Judson's  intellectual  power  and  splendid  persistence  are 
shown  in  his  mastery  of  the  Burmese  language.     Though  he 

109 


[VIII-s]     CHRISTIAN  STANDARDS  IN  LIFE 

rapidly  acquired  a  speaking  knowledge,  he  drove  ahead 
year  by  year ;  and  in  three  years  began  a  grammar  which  is 
pronounced  excellent  by  competent  scholars.  He  translated 
the  entire  Bible  into  Burmese,  and  spent  the  last  years  of  his 
life  preparing  a  dictionary. 

But  the  difficulty  of  winning  a  decisive  victory  over  the 
language  was  only  one  of  his  problems.  More  serious  still 
were  the  intense  conservatism  of  the  Burmese  mind  and  the 
danger  of  persecution  to  which  he  was  exposed.  At  any 
moment  he  was  liable  to  arrest,  torture,  the  seizure  of  his 
property,  and  even  death  in  some  horrible  form.  But  we  are 
to  see  how  patiently  he  waited,  worked,  and  suffered,  and  how 
his  mighty  faith,  with  little  outward  sign  of  vindication  for 
many  years,  never  staggered,  and  in  the  end  won  gloriously. 

Seven  years  and  ten  days  after  Judson's  arrival  in  Calcutta, 
he  baptized  Moung  Ing,  his  first  convert.  The  faith  of  the 
churches  at  home  had  long  ago  grown  weary;  but  in  a  letter 
to  his  Missionary  Society,  Judson  said: 

If  they  are  unwilling  to  risk  their  bread  on  such  a  for- 
lorn hope  as  has  nothing  but  the  word  of  God  to  sustain  it, 
beg  of  them,  at  least  not  to  prevent  others  from  giving  us 
bread ;  and  if  we  live  some  twenty  or  thirty  years,  they  may 
hear  from  us  again. 

He  who  had  most  reason  of  all  to  be  discouraged  linked  up 
his  grit  with  his  colossal  faith.  "I  do  not  know  that  I  shall 
live  to  see  a  single  convert,"  he  once  said,  "but  I  feel  that  I 
would  not  leave  my  present  situation  to  be  a  king.  If  a 
ship  was  lying  in  the  river,  ready  to  convey  me  to  any  part 
of  the  world,  I  would  prefer  dying  to  embarking." 

In  the  meantime  many  dark  days  had  come  to  the  mission. 
The  seven  months'  old  son  of  the  Judsons  had  died.  The 
Government  had  begun  to  suspect  the  motives  of  the  mission- 
aries and  only  the  tact  of  Mrs.  Judson  prevented  their  being 
driven  from  the  country.  Cholera  broke  out  in  the  city  and 
the  "death-gong  sounded  all  day  long  through  the  streets  of 
Rangoon."     The  troubles  that  led  to  the  war  between  Burma 

no 


THE  AGGRESSIVENESS  OF  FAITH    [VIII-s] 

and  England  had  begun ;  and  when  Judson  returned  from  a 
few  months'  absence  in  search  of  health  he  found  that  Mr, 
G.  H.  Hough,  the  preacher-printer  who  had  come  out  from 
America  to  join  them,  had  been  obliged  to  go  with  his  printing 
outfit  to  Calcutta  for  safety,  and  that  for  several  weeks  Mrs. 
Judson,  who  had  refused  to  leave,  had  lived  alone  in  the 
cholera-stricken  city  in  full  charge  of  the  mission.  Hopes 
began  to  brighten  when  two  more  inquirers  became  Christians. 
But  when  a  Burman  teacher  began  to  display  an  interest  in 
the  new  religion,  the  Viceroy  of  Rangoon  issued  the  crisp 
order,  "Inquire  further."  Judson  knew  what  this  meant.  The 
issue  would  soon  be  joined  with  the  cruel  bigotry  of  the 
King  himself ;  so  he  determined  on  the  bold  step  of  proceeding 
to  Ava  to  lay  his  case  before  the  monarch,  in  the  hope  of 
obtaining  royal  permission  to  propagate  the  Christian  religion 
in  Burma.  He  secured  a  passport  to  "go  up  to  the  Golden 
Feet  and  lift  our  eyes  to  the  Golden  Face,"  and  with  rich  gifts 
for  the  Emperor  and  his  officials  he  presented  himself  at  the 
palace.  But  the  errand  was  fruitless.  The  Emperor  glanced 
at  Judson's  tract  and  threw  it  on  the  ground ;  and  every  hope 
vanished  from  the  pioneer's  heart.  Then  the  health  of  Mrs. 
Judson  gave  out,  a  three  months'  trip  to  Calcutta  failed  to 
restore  her  fully,  and  she  was  obliged  to  return  to  America. 
Judson,  however,  stayed  on. 

Again  the  clouds  seemed  to  scatter.  Seven  more  converts 
were  baptized  in  Rangoon.  Then  we  find  Mr,  Judson  again 
at  Ava.  The  Emperor  had  heard  of  the  medical  skill  of  Dr. 
Jonathan  Price,  a  recent  arrival  from  America,  and  had  sum- 
moned him  to  the  capital.  Judson  had  gone  along.  This 
time  the  Emperor  was  favorably  impressed  and  gave  him  a 
piece  of  land  in  Ava  for  the  mission.  Judson  erected  a  build- 
ing there  and  returned  to  Rangoon.  When  his  wife  came 
back  from  America  they  moved  their  headquarters  to  Ava, 
leaving  the  Rangoon  mission  with  its  eighteen  baptized  con- 
verts in  charge  of  the  others.     And  hopes  ran  high. 

But  now  the  clouds  gathered  thicker  and  the  storms  burst 
upon  the  mission.     Less  than  six  months  after  the  Judsons 

III 


[VIII-s]     CHRISTIAN  STANDARDS  IN  LIFE 

reached  Ava  the  war  between  Britain  and  Burma  broke  out 
in  earnest,  and  Rangoon  was  captured  by  the  British.  Mr. 
Judson  and  Dr.  Price,  suspected  of  being  spies,  were  thrown 
into  a  loathsome  prison  and  horribly  tortured.  There  are 
no  words  to  describe  the  cruelty  practised  upon  them. 
Through  the  consummate  tact  and  patience  of  Mrs.  Judson, 
who  apphed  to  the  Queen,  to  the  Queen's  sister-in-law,  and 
to  the  Governor  of  the  North  Gate  and  others,  the  hardships 
of  Mr.  Judson  and  Dr.  Price  were  somewhat  mitigated.  For 
a  time  they  were  removed  to  an  outer  enclosure  and  Mrs. 
Judson  was  able  to  bring  them  food.  But  the  relief  which 
she  was  able  to  secure  for  them  was  slight,  and  for  nearly  a 
year  Judson  languished  in  his  loathsome  surroundings,  his 
body  racked  with  pain  and  often  weakened  by  fevers,  never 
knowing  when  his  turn  would  come  to  be  led  out  to  execu- 
tion. 

If  you  are  expecting  now  to  hear  that  in  the  midst  of  these 
privations  the  faith  of  Judson  gave  way,  prepare  for  a  dis- 
appointment.    To  one  of  his  fellow-captives  he  said : 

Think  what  the  consequences  of  this  British  invasion  must 
be.  Here  have  I  been  ten  years  preaching  the  Gospel  to 
timid  listeners  who  wished  to  embrace  the  truth  but  dared 
not ;  beseeching  the  Emperor  to  grant  liberty  of  conscience 
to  his  people,  but  without  success ;  and  now,  when  all  human 
means  seemed  at  an  end,  God  opens  the  way  by  leading  a 
Christian  nation  to  subdue  the  country.  It  is  possible  that 
my  life  may  be  spared;  if  so,  with  what  ardor  and  gratitude 
shall  I  pursue  my  work ;  and  if  not,  His  will  be  done ;  the 
door  will  be  opened  by  others  who  will  do  the  work  better. 

If  this  is  not  the  high  type  of  optimistic  faith,  where  is  it  to 
be  found? 

Then  suddenly  the  white  prisoners  were  transported  to 
Oung-pen-la,  not,  as  they  thought,  to  be  executed,  but  to  be 
confined  in  another  prison.  Mrs.  Judson  with  her  baby 
daughter  followed  and  took  up  her  dwelling  in  a  bamboo 
enclosure  across  the  street.  Here  she  fell  dangerously  ill, 
and  to  all  Mr.  Judson's  other  sufferings  was  now  added  the 

112 


THE  AGGRESSIVENESS  OF  FAITH    [VIII-s] 

heartbreaking  anxiety  that  his  wife  would  be  taken  from  him. 
By  special  permission  he  was  allowed  to  leave  the  prison  each 
day  to  carry  his  baby  girl  about  the  village  begging  the 
mothers  of  infants  to  nurse  his  starving  child.  Six  long 
months  this  new  chapter  of  his  imprisonment  consumed,  but 
during  those  six  months  his  confidence  in  God  held  firm. 
There  were  some  momentary  reactions,  but  like  the  godly  old 
Hebrew  poet  he  could  say,  "My  heart  is  fixed." 

In  November,  1825,  Mr.  Judson  was  released  and  sent  to 
the  encampment  of  the  Burman  army  at  Maloun  to  act  as 
interpreter.  The  British  forces  were  everywhere  victorious 
and  were  now  closing  in  on  Ava.  The  Commander,  Sir  Archi- 
bald Campbell,  would  listen  to  no  terms  of  peace  which  did 
not  include  the  release  of  all  the  white  prisoners ;  and  in 
March,  1826,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Judson  found  themselves  again 
in  Rangoon  after  an  absence  of  two  years  and  three  months. 
The  night  of  horror  had  passed  away. 

Judson  established  himself  with  his  family  for  a  short  time 
at  Amherst,  a  new  town  in  the  province  of  Tenasserim,  which 
had  been  ceded  to  the  British  crown.  While  he  was  absent 
helping  to  negotiate  a  commercial  treaty  between  England 
and  Burma,  Mrs.  Judson  died — the  beautiful,  winsome,  gifted 
''Ann  of  Ava,"  as  she  is  often  called.  What  a  woman  she 
had  been,  what  a  wife,  what  a  missionary !  By  her  side,  not 
many  weeks  later,  Judson  buried  his  little  daughter.  In  a 
few  months  it  was  found  wise  to  transfer  the  headquarters 
of  the  mission  to  Moulmein,  the  capital  of  British  Burma; 
and  there,  save  for  the  months  spent  in  America  during  the 
one  furlough  he  ever  allowed  himself,  Judson  completed  his 
missionary  labors.  He  died  on  April  12,  1850.  On  a  short 
sea  voyage  in  search  of  better  health  his  tired  body  ceased  its 
activities,  and  was  lowered  into  the  sea. 


IV 

In  Maiden,  Massachusetts,  his  birthplace,  there  is  a  marble 
tablet  in  memory  of  Adoniram  Judson.     Part  of  the  inscrip- 

113 


[VIII-s]     CHRISTIAN  STANDARDS  IN  LIFE 

tion  reads:  "Converted  Burmans  and  the  Burman  Bible  his 
monument.  His  record  is  on  high."  But  it  is  here  as  well. 
Some  of  the  brightest  pages  in  missionary  history  tell  of  the 
great  victories  in  Burma.  Through  the  work  of  the  Society 
which  Judson  served,  the  Gospel  has  won  its  converts  by  tens 
of  thousands,  both  among  the  Karens,  the  hill  tribes,  and 
among  the  Burmans.  And  today  in  the  Land  of  the  Pagodas 
these  followers  of  Christ  go  up  each  Sabbath  to  worship  in 
more  than  a  thousand  churches.  Never  in  the  modern  mis- 
sionary era  has  faith  won  a  more  splendid  victory. 

The  whole  work  of  missions  is  a  work  of  faith ;  humanly 
viewed,  it  is  a  desperate,  hopeless,  mad  undertaking.  And 
therefore  men  and  women  who  care  for  the  expansion  of  the 
Kingdom  will  evermore  thank  God  for  the  inspiration  of  this 
great  soul,  who  witnessed  so  strongly  to  the  supernatural  basis 
of  the  whole  enterprise.  Moving  out  as  America's  first 
foreign  missionary,  mastering  a  difficult  language  as  few  have 
ever  mastered  an  alien  tongue,  waiting  seven  years  for  the 
first  fruits  of  his  patient  sowing,  witnessing  fearlessly  before 
a  hostile  court,  suffering  unspeakably  in  prison  for  seven- 
teen months,  losing  his  son,  wife,  and  daughter  by  death,  he 
held  on  in  unshaken  confidence  to  the  goodness  of  God,  and 
never  doubted  the  triumphant  issue  of  it  all.  Bright  to  him 
the  prospects  were — "as  bright  as  the  promises  of  God." 
Not  in  Burma  alone  but  in  all  the  areas  of  the  mission  world 
a  stimulus  has  been  given  to  the  progress  of  Christianity  by 
the  steadiness  and  sublimity  and  optimism  of  his  faith.  It 
displayed  the  main  secret  of  the  triumph  of  the  cross — that 
"victory  that  overcometh  the  world." 

For  further  reading — Edward  Judson :  "The  Life  of  Ado- 
niram  Judson." 

Suggestions  for  Thought  and  Discussion 

What  place  has  ambition  in  life? 

What  difference,  if  any,  is  there  between  being  ambitious 
and  having  ambition? 

114 


THE  AGGRESSIVENESS  OF  FAITH    [VIII-s] 

Express  in  terms  of  ambition  what  happened  to  Judson 
when  he  became  a  Christian. 

To  what  extent  is  ambition  necessary  to  make  a  man  ag- 
gressive? How  far  does  the  strength  of  the  ambition  deter- 
mine the  greatness  of  the  achievement?  To  what  extent  does 
the  type  of  ambition  determine  the  type  of  the  Hfe? 

What  was  the  relation  of  his  ambition  to  Judson's  achieve- 
ments in  college?  to  his  achievements  on  the  mission  field? 
What  made  the  difference? 

What  is  the  relation  of  ambition  to  faith f 

To  what  extent  is  faith  a  part  of  ambition  and  ambition  a 
part  of  faith?  When  can  ambition  be  expressed  in  terms  of 
faith? 

What  was  faith  to  Judson?  To  what  extent  do  you  agree 
or  disagree? 

Which  of  Judson's  many  difficulties  tested  his  faith  the 
most? 

What  are  the  results  of  aggressive  faith? 

Does  faith  in  God  imply  aggressiveness  in  carrying  out  the 
purposes  of  faith? 

In  the  long  run  was  the  British  occupation  of  Burma  a  help 
to  the  missionary  work  which  Judson  began?  To  what  extent 
is  the  use  of  any  kind  of  pressure  a  justifiable  aid  in  accom- 
plishing a  Christian  ambition? 

How  was  the  aggressiveness  of  Judson's  faith  rewarded? 
If  Judson  had  died  in  prison  without  the  chan^^e  to  bring 
about  the  achievements  he  felt  confident  God  would  give  him 
in  Burma,  would  his  faith  in  the  dependableness  of  God  have 
been  justified?  To  what  extent  are  results  along  the  line  we 
have  planned  essential  to  faith  in  the  dependableness  of  God? 

What  are  the  opportunities  today  for  aggressiveness  of  Chris- 
tian faith  f 


"S 


CHAPTER  IX 

TRAINING  FOR  SOCIAL  EFFICIENCY 

MARY    LYON 

Daily  Readings 

The  spirit  and  method  of  our  education  really  depends  upon 
what  view  we  hold  of  the  purpose  of  life  for  the  individual 
college  man  and  woman.  What  we  study  and  how  we  go 
about  it  is  determined  by  our  idea  of  the  kind  of  life  we  pro- 
pose to  live  in  the  world. 

I.    Are  we  at  college  to  better  ourselves? 

And  what  shall  I  more  say?  for  the  time  will  fail 
me  if  I  tell  of  Gideon,  Barak,  Samson,  Jephthah ;  of 
David  and  Samuel  and  the  prophets:  who  through 
faith  subdued  kingdoms,  wrought  righteousness,  ob- 
tained promises,  stopped  the  mouths  of  lions, 
quenched  the  power  of  fire,  escaped  the  edge  of  the 
sword,  from  weakness  were  made  strong,  waxed 
mighty  in  war,  turned  to  flight  armies  of  aliens. 
Women'  received  their  dead  by  a  resurrection:  and 
others  were  tortured,  not  accepting  their  deliverance ; 
that  they  might  obtain  a  better  resurrection :  and 
others  had  trial  of  mockings  and  scourgings,  yea, 
moreover  of  bonds  and  imprisonment :  they  were 
stoned,  they  were  sawn  asunder,  they  were  tempted, 
they  were  slain  with  the  sword:  they  went  about  in 
sheepskins,  in  goatskins ;  being  destitute,  afflicted,  ill- 
treated  (of  whom  the  world  was  not  worthy), 
wandering  in  deserts  and  mountains  and  caves,  and 
the  holes  of  the  earth.  And  .these  all,  having  had  wit- 
ness borne  to  them  through  their  faith,  received  not 
the  promise,  God  having  provided  some  better  thing 
ii6 


TRAINING  FOR  SOCIAL  EFFICIENCY    [IX-2] 

concerning  us,  that   apart   from  us  they  should  not 
be  made  perfect. — Heb.  11 :  32-40. 

Education  in  America  is  maintained  by  state  funds  and 
public  funds  contributed  by  generous  men  and  women.  Even 
these  large  investments  would  be  futile  but  for  the  tremendous 
work  and  sacrifice  of  teachers  and  investigators  who  have 
given  their  very  lives  to  open  great  opportunities  to  us  and 
those  who  follow  us.  Who  alone  can  "make  perfect"  these 
lives? 

What  is  the  fair  thing  for  us  to  do? 

2.  What  is  the  test  of  value  of  a  life? 

The  standard  of  Jesus'  life  was  plain  enough. 

The  Spirit  of  the  Lord  is  upon  me, 

Because  he  anointed  me  to  preach  good  tidings  to  the 

poor: 
He  hath  sent  me  to  proclaim  release  to  the  captives, 
And  recovering  of  sight  to  the  blind. 
To  set  at  liberty  them  that  are  bruised. — Luke  4 :  18. 

This  was  the  kind  of  work  He  planned  to  do  in  establish- 
ing the  Kingdom  of  God.     His  aims  for  men  were  plain  too. 

And  he  answered  and  said,  He  that  soweth  the 
good  seed  is  the  Son  of  man ;  and  the  field  is  the 
world;  and  the  good  seed,  these  are  the  sons  of  the 
kingdom. — Matt.    13  :  2,7,  38. 

Are  we  willing  to  stand  by  the  belief  that  a  man's  value 
is  measured  by  his  power  to  help  others? 

3.  The  use  of  our  special  capabilities 

If  it  is  our  duty  in  college  to  prepare  ourselves  to  be  of 
most  service  to  others,  then  carelessness  or  indifference  in 
preparation — unfaithfulness  in  developing  our  special  capac- 
ities— actually  robs  our  fellowmen  of  something  they  have  a 
right  to  expect  from  us. 

117 


[lX-4]        CHRISTIAN  STANDARDS  IN  LIFE 

Straightway  he  that  received  the  five  talents  went 
and  traded  with  them,  and  made  other  five  talents. 
In  like  manner  he  also  that  received  the  two  gained 
other  two.  But  he  that  received  the  one  went  away 
and  digged  in  the  earth,  and  hid  his  lord's  money. — 
Matt.  25  :  1 6- 1 8. 

Do  we  consider  our  ability,  whatever  it  is,  as  really  be- 
longing to  the  world f  Are  we  taking  the  courses  we  anight 
be  taking  to  prepare  ourselves  for  really  useful  service? 

4.  How  do  we  regard  our  resources  of  time  and  money  f 

The  need  of  the  world  is  so  great  that  every  waste  of 
resources  of  time  or  money  means  an  opportunity  closed  for 
some  one.  "Economy  is  not  always  doing  without  things. 
It  is  making  them  do  the  best  they  can"  (Mary  Lyon).  Our 
responsibility  is  first  of  all  for  our  own  resources — not  for 
those  of  some  one  else. 

And  he  looked  up,  and  saw  the  rich  men  that  were 
casting  their  gifts  into  the  treasury.  And  he  saw  a 
certain  poor  widow  casting  in  thither  two  mites.  And 
he  said,  Of  a  truth  I  say  unto  you,  This  poor  widow 
cast  in  more  than  they  all :  for  all  these  did  of  their 
superfluity  cast  in  unto  the  gifts ;  but  she  of  her  want 
did  cast  in  all  the  living  that  she  had. — Luke  21 :  1-4. 

Are  we  trying,  for  the  sake  of  the  world,  to  get  the  most 
out  of  our  time  and  money  f 

5.  Can  we  prepare  for  social  usefulness  by  the  mere  acqui- 
sition of  knowledge? 

Information  alone  will  not  save  the  world.  Character  is 
more  than  a  mass  of  knowledge.  And  character  can  be  built 
up  only  by  daily  faithfulness,  by  daily  right  thinking  and 
right  acting. 

Are  we  trying  to  build  up  a  moral  reserve  that  will  help 
118 


TRAINING  FOR  SOCIAL  EFFICIENCY    [IX-6] 

us  to  steady  our  fellowmen  when  people  are  all  at  sea  in  the 
middle  of  some  terrible  experience? 

6.  What  is  the  place  of  religion  in  preparing  us  for  such 
usefulness? 

Can  the  educated  give  their  best  service  to  others  if  they 
are  unable  to  help  on  the  side  of  the  deepest  needs  of  men? 

Religious  interest  is  alive  everywhere  in  these  days.  Men 
are  eager  to  hear  about  God.  They  want  to  know  if  they 
are  to  consider  this  great  universe  to  be  for  or  against  them. 
They  want  to  know  if  God  hears  them. 

The  Christian  revelation  of  God  was  a  revelation  by  a 
Person  in  history.  Jesus  Christ  has  appealed  to  both  the 
reason  and  conscience  of  multitudes  since  He  lived  on  earth. 
Alone  of  all,  He  has  really  met  the  needs  of  humanity,  is  meet- 
ing them  today.  His  own  claims  are  tremendous,  but  they 
have  been  justified. 

I  am  the  way,  the  truth,  and  the  life :  no  one  com- 
eth  to  the  Father,  but  by  me. — John  14 :  6. 

Is  our  study  and  experience  preparing  us  to  pass  on  this 
message    to    others? 

7.  What  is  the  purpose  of  education? 

Can  we  answer  this  question  for  ourselves? 

Study  for  the  Week 


Mary  Lyon  refused  to  be  daunted  by  the  great  difficulties 
that  lay  in  the  way  of  woman's  education  a  hundred  years 
ago.  In  her  own  case  they  were  accentuated  by  her  particular 
circumstances.  The  Lyon  family,  a  widowed  mother  with 
seven  children,  were  pressed  hard  on  their  little  farm  in  the 
hills  of  Massachusetts  to  maintain  life  in  decency  and  self- 
respect.    There  was  no  possibility  of  her  attending  any  of  the 

119 


[IX-s]        CHRISTIAN  STANDARDS  IN  LIFE 

"academies,"  and  the  district  schools  were  her  only  oppor- 
tunity till  she  was  twenty  years  of  age.  For  every  term  she 
attended  school  she  had  to  work  for  months  teaching,  spin- 
ning, weaving,  or  keeping  house,  in  order  to  pay  for  the  priv- 
ilege. While  her  book-learning  was  far  below  her  desires, 
yet  the  twenty  years  were  far  from  wasted.  Her  home 
atmosphere  was  one  of  courage  and  independence,  and  she 
had  laid  the  foundation  of  a  sound  physical  reserve.  Needless 
to  say  her  experience  in  school  and  home  had  taught  her  the 
value  of  money  and  time.  They  found  her  once  as  a  child 
trying  to  manipulate  the  hour  glass  so  that  it  would  make 
more  time.     She  was  always  alive  to  opportunity. 

When  this  raw  and  awkward  country  girl  of  twenty  came 
down  to  the  newly  established  Sanderson  Seminary,  in  Ash- 
field,  in  1817,  the  other  scholars  treated  her  as  a  joke  till  her 
ability  to  acquire  and  retain  had  made  all  others  seem  quite 
dull  by  contrast.  Nothing  satisfied  the  eager  girl.  Finally 
she  was  so  far  ahead  of  the  class  in  all  the  regular  subjects 
that  the  principal  dropped  Adam's  Latin  Grammar  in  her  way 
one  Friday  afternoon  in  the  hope  that  her  mad  course  might 
be  checked.  There  is  no  record  of  the  principal's  feelings 
when  she  confronted  him  on  Monday  with  the  whole  book 
.mastered.  Had  he  known  that,  years  before,  she  had  treated 
Alexander's  English  Grammar  in  the  same  summary  fashion 
it  would  probably  have  modified  his  emotions  on  this  occasion. 

She  must  have  realized  that  she  was  quite  as  able  to  learn 
as  any  boy  she  had  met.  Further,  she  could  easily  observe 
that,  in  New  England,  if  there  were  any  aristocracy,  it  was 
the  aristocracy  of  the  intellect.  She  would  go  on  just  as  far 
as  she  could. 

She  soon  saw  the  end  of  her  resources  in  Ashfield,  but 
friendly  generosity  permitted  her  to  go  on  just  when  oppor- 
tunity seemed  closed.  After  she  left  the  Academy  she  taught 
and  studied  wherever  she  could  find  an  opening.  But  still  she 
was  unsatisfied ;  she  had  done  much,  but  the  higher  reaches  of 
education  open  to  men  seemed  shut  forever  to  her. 

At  this  time  this  rnerry-hearted  and  eager  girl  passed 
120 


TRAINING  FOR  SOCIAL  EFFICIENCY     [IX-s] 

through  a  real  religious  experience,  too  normal  and  quiet  to 
be  called  a  crisis.  It  is  related  that,  in  the  open  fields  once, 
stirred  by  the  beauty  of  the  scene  about  her,  she  passed  quietly 
and  easily  into  a  determination  to  serve  God.  "Happiness 
always  lay  at  the  heart  of  her  faith." 

When  all  seemed  dark,  fortune  favored  her  again.  She 
was  able  to  go  with  her  friend  Amanda  White  to  Joseph 
Emerson's  seminary  in  Byfield,  near  Boston.  Here  she  studied 
an  advanced  curriculum,  including  the  classics,  English  liter- 
ature, and  history;  but  more,  she  studied  under  a  teacher  who 
awakened  her  to  the  whole  significance ^of  the  things  of  the 
mind.  Joseph  Emerson  had  a  thorough  respect  for  the  mind 
of  a  woman.  His  scholars  tackled  all  kinds  of  languages  and 
philosophy.  He  laid  great  stress  on  thinking  as  over  against 
mere  acquisition  of  facts.  Further,  he  awakened  in  Mary 
Lyon  the  conviction  that  "education  was  to  fit  one  to  do  good." 
Her  retentive  memory,  her  wonderful  power  of  concentration, 
her  fine  critical  instinct — that  which  led"  her  in  early  years 
to  find  "difficulties,  doubts,  and  inconsistencies  in  grammar" 
— were  the  powers  that  Mary  Lyon  had  brought  to  the  school ; 
and  these  were  made  finally  efficient  because  their  owner 
learned  their  significance.  At  this  Seminary  Mary  Lyon  first 
tasted  the  joy  of  brushing  up  against  people  from  many  dif- 
ferent localities. 

Mr.  Emerson's  assistant  at  this  time  was  Miss  Zilpah 
Grant.  There  arose  a  close  intimacy  between  this  woman 
and  Mary  Lyon  which  later  developed  into  that  most  satisfy- 
ing friendship  which  grows  out  of  working  shoulder  to 
shoulder  for  a  single  purpose. 

When  Mary  Lyon  returned  to  Ashfield,  she  was  made 
assistant  in  Sanderson  Academy — in  spite  of  the  fact  that  the 
principal  felt  sure  he  needed  a  man.  Two  years  later  she 
helped  Zilpah  Grant  to  open  in  Derry,  New  Hampshire,  the 
first  incorporated  academy  in  New  England  designed  ex- 
clusively for  women.  This  school  held  classes  during  only 
half  the  year,  and  in  the  winter  Mary  Lyon  taught  in  Ash- 
field or  Buckland. 

121 


[IX-s]        CHRISTIAN  STANDARDS  IN  LIFE 

Early  in  her  career  as  a  teacher  she  had  not  met  with  much 
success,  but  now  she  took  her  place  as  a  real  leader  of  edu- 
cation. Eager,  vigorous,  systematic,  original,  she  fired  with 
her  enthusiasm  everyone  she  touched.  Many  teachers  came 
to  her  for  help  in  method  and  educational  experts  spent  days 
in  her  school  studying  her  system. 

In  the  year  1830  she  received  from  Miss  Grant  an  invita- 
tion to  join  her  as  assistant  principal  in  opening  a  new  semi- 
nary for  women.  There  had  been  difficulty  with  .the  trustees 
at  Derry,  and  in  the  end  Miss  Grant  moved  her  apparatus  and 
teachers  to  the  little  town  of  Ipswich  on  the  seashore  of 
Massachusetts. 

II 

The  first  impulse  in  Mary  Lyon  had  been  the  eager  desire 
to  "know."  Her  own  tried  abilities  provided  a  steady  impulse 
and  she  went  ahead  just  as  far  as  she  could.  It  is  not  recorded 
that  at  this  time,  or  at  any  other  time,  she  was  ever  a  member 
of  the  ranks  of  those  who  clamor  loudly  for  abstract  "rights." 
One  word  of  hers  is  positive  enough:  *Tt  is  the  mark  of  a 
weak  mind  to  be  continually  comparing  the  sexes."  Making 
the  very  most  of  what  came  in  her  way,  with  great  deter- 
mination she  kept  her  own  course.  Once  she  said :  "Economy 
is  not  always  doing  without  things.  It  is  making  them  do  the 
best  they  can."  She  was  always  hard  at  work  to  get  the  best 
out  of  the  time  and  means  at  her  disposal.  At  one  period  in 
Mr.  Emerson's  seminary,  in  the  intensity  of  her  desire  to 
make  every  moment  count,  she  used  to  study  seven  days  a 
week.  But  her  clear  sense  soon  showed  her  the  plain  fallacy 
of  this,  and  she  set  aside  Sunday  for  cultivating  those  things 
of  the  spirit  that  she  knew  she  could  not  sacrifice  without 
irreparable  personal  loss. 

Under  the  influence  of  Mr.  Emerson  she  came  to  have  a 
real  sense  of  the  social  purpose  of  intellectual  achievement. 
She  discovered  that  there  is  knowledge  and  knowledge.  Edu- 
cation appeared  no  longer  an  end  in  itself.  Mere  culture  for 
display  lost  its  fascination.     We  find  her   saying  during  the 

122 


TRAINING  FOR  SOCIAL  EFFICIENCY     [IX-s] 

successful  teaching  period  in  Ashfield :  "In  teaching  never 
introduce  studies  which  would  not  be  profitable  to  the  scholars, 
merely  for  the  sake  of  having  the  school  appear  well.  Rise 
above  such  things."  In  aim  and  method  her  ideals  began  to 
tend  toward  the  social. 

Both  Miss  Grant  and  Mary  Lyon  had  met  the  popular  con- 
ception of  the  only  kind  of  higher  education  then  thought  fit 
for  women,  and  had  turned  from  it  with  the  deepest  scorn. 
Young  women  were  expected  to  learn  to  "sing  languishing 
airs,  tinkle  piano  keys,  lisp  French  phrases,  and  sketch  im- 
possible landscapes."  These  were  taught  as  "parlor  tricks." 
Such  an  education  had  not  the  remotest  connection  with  real- 
ity. While  despising  such  methods,  Mary  Lyon  was  of  an 
entirely  too  practical  mind  even  to  be  led  astray  by  the  ideal 
of  mere  acquisition.  To  her  such  a  process  seemed  quite  as 
unreal  as  the  other. 

The  new  Seminary  at  Ipswich  stood  firm  on  "Joseph  Emer- 
son's doctrine  of  the  perfect  respectability  of  women's  brains," 
and  set  itself  to  prepare  women  for  efficiency  in  society.  The 
course  was  designed  for  older  girls  and  the  work  laid  out 
was  exacting.  There  is  every  evidence  that  Mary  Lyon  was 
quite  convinced  that  women  fill  a  place  of  their  own  in  the 
world's  economy ;  but  while  she  did  not  wish  to  duplicate  the 
education  given  to  men,  she  wished  to  provide  a  training 
quite  equal  in  standard.  She  pointed  with  pride  in  later  life 
to  the  testimony  of  fathers  and  mothers  that  her  pupils 
were  better  "home-makers"  because  of  her  training. 

In  the  seminary  the  principals  introduced  a  modified  system 
of  student  self-government.  In  this  and  other  ways  was  the 
social  instinct  cultivated.  They  were  insistent  that  girls 
"need  to  have  their  views  and  feelings  drawn  away  from  self 
and  beyond  the  family;  they  need  to  learn  by  practising  the 
true  Christian  philosophy  of  sacrificing  private  interest  to 
public  good."  "School  spirit"  was  encouraged  as  a  means  to 
the  high  end.  When  Mary  Lyon  found  it  necessary  to  expel 
a  pupil,  it  seems  she  used  a  single  formula :  "I  am  sorry  for 
you,  but  the  good  of  the  institution  requires  it."     It  seems 

123 


[IX-s]       CHRISTIAN  STANDARDS  IN  LIFE 

as  if,  in  the  minds  of  these  pioneer  leaders,  the  real  world 
lying  beyond  was  always  immediately  present.  It  is  almost 
possible  to  imagine  them  asking  themselves  over  every  point 
of  policy  the  simple  question,  How  will  this  affect  the  use- 
fulness of  our  girls  in  the  world? 

The  school  was  frankly  religious,  but  every  effort  was 
directed  so  to  present  Christianity  as  to  widen  sympathies. 
Denominational  divisions  were  kept  in  the  background.  That 
the  teaching  of  Christianity  occupied  a  high  place  in  the  cur- 
riculum may  be  inferred  from  the  fact  that  Miss  Grant  left 
Derry  because  of  the  opposition  offered  to  the  inclusion  of 
so  much  biblical  instruction  in  the  school  work. 

One  of  the  leading  purposes  of  Mary  Lyon's  life  thus  un- 
folds :  to  further  the  cause  of  the  higher  education  of  women 
for  social  efficiency.  Always  the  double  ideal :  skill,  knowl- 
edge, culture — ^but  only  for  service.  The  future  woman,  ac- 
cording to  Mary  Lyon's  mind  as  interpreted  by  her  biographer, 
"was  to  hope  and  desire  and  love  and  do,  as  well  as  to  think." 
Her  dream  was  for  a  race  of  women  "strong-bodied,  big- 
brained,  great-souled"  :  and  with  that  dream  she  could  never 
rest;  every  energy  had  to  be  devoted  to  making  it  come  true. 

Mary  Lyon  developed  with  this  work.  She  had  to  teach  a 
wide  variety  of  subjects  and  found  it  necessary  to  go  to 
school  again  herself.  Her  readiness  to  plunge  into  anything 
new  prevented  the  possibility  of  mental  stagnation.  Then 
she  never  neglected  what  was  the  principal  part  of  her  own 
education.  Joseph  Emerson  had  said:  "He  who  is  not  will- 
ing to  be  taught  by  the  youngest  of  his  pupils  is  not  fit  to 
have  a  pupil."  In  her  long  and  varied  teaching  experience 
she  never  forgot  this  word.  While  she  had  ever  before 
her  high  ideals,  she  took  infinite  pains  to  perfect  her  meth- 
ods. The  reality  of  her  sympathy  and  reverence  for  person- 
ality made  possible  her  supreme  understanding  of  the  inner 
lives  of  her  pupils.  These  same  qualities  enabled  her  to  open 
up  with  individuals  the  very  deepest  questions  of  their  lives 
— though  she  always  approached  such  tasks  with  the  great- 
est hesitation  lest  she  should  invade  the  sanctity  of  the  person. 

124 


TRAINING  FOR  SOCIAL  EFFICIENCY     [IX-s] 

Her  simple  and  happy  religious  faith  irradiated  her  whole 
life.  She  wished  her  pupils  to  face  the  clear  decision,  but 
she  tried  to  bring  them  to  it  in  calmness.  "God  wants  you 
to  be  happy;  he  made  you  to  be  happy."  Prayer  occupied  a 
great  though  inconspicuous  place  in  her  life.  As  would  be 
expected,  she  placed  the  clearest  emphasis  on  service.  "Holi- 
ness leads  to  the  most  vigorous  action.  Real  holiness  tends 
to  make  the  character  energetic."  The  Christian  opportunity, 
she  said,  is  "to  labor  with  God  as  children  with  a  father, 
to  walk  by  his  side,  to  unite  with  Him  in  a  great  work." 
Always  was  the  dignity  of  the  high  claim  of  the  Gospel  main- 
tained :  "hers,  to  put  the  proposition ;  theirs,  to  become,  or  no, 
partners  with  opportunity,  adventurers  for  God." 

in 

Thus  the  ideal  was  formed  and  tested.  The  conception 
was  developed  out  of  the  solid  materials  of  experience;  and 
its  essential  features,  tried  out  in  practice,  were  discovered 
to  be  sound.  Some  men  and  women  are  content  to  do  their 
own  work  in  their  own  way  and  let  the  future  take  care 
of  itself.  In  one  sense  this  is  wise,  for  it  is  deHcate  work 
meddling  too  much  in  the  interests  of  posterity.  But  it  was 
a  condition,  and  not  a  theory,  that  Miss  Grant  and  Miss  Lyon 
were  facing.  Bitter  experience  showed  plainly  that  the  gains 
for  the  cause  of  the  education  of  women  made  at  Ipswich 
and  other  seminaries  in  America  rested  upon  an  unstable 
foundation.  Miss  Grant  first  led  Miss  Lyon  to  see  that 
these  private  ventures  had  no  promise  of  permanence. 
Schools  organized  for  profit  could  never  insure  a  continu- 
ing opportunity.  When  Miss  Catherine  Beecher  was  forced 
to  give  up  Hartford  Seminary  on  account  of  ill-health,  this 
remarkable  institution,  with  a  reputation  even  in  Europe, 
rapidly  fell  to  pieces.  The  fine  work  done  at  Ipswich  would 
be  largely  lost  if  something  were  not  done  to  insure  perma- 
nence. 

Thus  it  was  that  Mary  Lyon  set  herself  to  begin  the  task 

125 


[IX-s]        CHRISTIAN  STANDARDS  IN  LIFE 

of  taking  the  higher  education  of  women  out  of  the  reahn 
of  business  venture  and  making  it  a  permanent  public  enter- 
prise. Her  plan  was  simple — to  provide  the  country  with  one 
single  living  example  of  an  endowed  institution  devoted  to 
her  purpose.  She  had  no  doubt  that  its  success  would  im- 
mediately call  forth  many  other  such  institutions,  and  her 
foresight  has  been  justified  beyond  her  own  dreams.  "Ober- 
lin  Collegiate  Institute"  was  at  this  time  engaged  on  an  ambi- 
tious program,  but  it  was  not  primarily  a  women's  institu- 
tion, and  was  not  giving  its  entire  attention  to  the  higher 
branches  of  learning.  Mary  Lyon  sympathized  with  Ober- 
lin's  aims  and  contributed  money  herself  to  the  enterprise. 

The  fact  that  she  was  herself  a  woman  handicapped  her  at 
the  start.  First  of  all  she  had  to  convince  enough  men  to 
form  a  working  force,  for  she  herself  must  be  in  the  back- 
ground. The  first  board  of  trustees  dissolved  in  the  spring 
of  1833  after  doing  nothing  for  a  few  months.  Only  one  of 
the  group  seems  to  have  kept  any  faith  in  the  idea. 

And  now  Mary  Lyon,  the  quiet  teacher  of  girls,  had  to  go 
out  into  the  workaday  world  and  "promote"  her  ideas,  had 
to  learn  to  face  solid  opposition  and  disturbing  ridicule.  Her 
achievements  during  years  of  comparative  seclusion  had  won 
her  public  recognition ;  now  she  must  go  out  into  the  blaze 
of  publicity  in  the  interests  of  an  unpopular  cause.  In  the 
month  of  September,  1834,  she  finally  got  together  her  com- 
mittee among  whom  were  President  Hitchcock  and  David 
Choate.  One  thousand  dollars  had  to  be  raised  at  once  in 
order  to  provide  means  for  raising  the  main  funds.  Miss 
Lyon  secured  this  initial  subscription  from  women  while  ful- 
filling her  duties  as  acting  principal  of  Ipswich  Seminary. 

This  busy  lady  had  been  steadily  thinking  away  at  her 
plans ;  and  while  the  money  was  coming  in — very,  very  slowly, 
though  heroic  efforts  were  expended  by  a  few  faithful  men — 
she  developed  the  principles  on  which  the  institution  was  to 
stand.  She  persisted  in  disregarding  the  advice  of  many  wise 
men  and  carried  her  points  one  by  one  with  her  board  of 
trustees.    Her  aim,  as  might  be  expected,  was  for  a  very  thor- 

126 


TRAINING  FOR  SOCIAL  EFFICIENCY     [IX-s] 

ough  academic  training  adapted  to  the  needs  of  the  many  and 
aiming  to  prepare  for  service,  coupled  with  a  democratic 
system  of  organization.  One  part  of  her  plan  involved 
cooperative  housekeeping.  There  v^ere  to  be  no  servants; 
every  pupil,  rich  or  poor,  must  do  her  proper  share  of  the 
necessary  work.  Further,  she  offered  herself  at  a  salary 
plainly  indicating  a  "service  basis";  and  she  expected,  at 
least  at  first,  that  all  teachers  would  do  the  same. 

The  site  at  South  Hadley  was  chosen  early  in  the  year  1835. 
The  next  spring  Mount  Holyoke  Female  Seminary  received 
a  charter  from  the  Governor  of  Massachusetts. 

The  worst  pull  was  at  the  end.  It  had  been  hard  to  get 
sympathy  for  the  very  idea  of  providing  such  an  opportunity 
for  women.  It  had  been  hard  to  get  the  right  men  behind  the 
plan.  There  had  been  difficulties  at  every  step.  Now  the 
money  was  not  forthcoming.  She  herself  had  planned  that 
the  subscription  should  be  raised  far  and  wide  in  order  that 
real  interest  in  the  institution  might  be  widespread.  And 
she  had  to  take  the  road  in  earnest.  She  had  no  notion  of 
stopping  to  count  the  cost,  she  was  there  to  see  it  through. 
And  this  pioneer  had  to  travel  the  same  stony  road  as  all 
the  rest.  Yes,  people  thought  she  was  improper,  they  insinu- 
ated that  she  was  "no  fairy,"  they  hinted  that  her  "masculine 
intellect  was  no  judge  of  woman's  capacities";  people  ran 
the  whole  gamut  of  "stand-pat"  silliness,  which  they  do  with 
much  skill,  for  the  exercise  has  been  practiced  on  every 
pioneer  since  the  world  began — the  methods  are  all  stand- 
ardized.    But  enough  stood  by  her  to  see  her  through. 

In  the  meantime  she  was  writing:  "Had  I  a  thousand  Hves 
I  could  sacrifice  them  all  in  suffering  and  hardship  for  its 
sake."  Mary  Lyon's  mother  told  a  neighbor :  "Mary  will  not 
give  up.  She  just  walks  the  floor  and  says  over  and  over 
again,  when  all  is  dark,  'Commit  thy  way  unto  the  Lord; 
trust  also  to  Him,  and  He  will  bring  it  to  pass.  Women 
must  be  educated — they  must  be  !'  " 

On  the  eighth  of  November,  1837,  Alount  Holyoke  did  open. 
For  twelve  years  Mary  Lyon  guided  the  institution,  took  it 

127 


[IX-s]        CHRISTIAN  STANDARDS  IN  LIFE 

past  all  the  rocks  to  a  safe  place.  The  details  of  her  triumph 
are  not  of  present  interest.  She  passed  again  from  the 
position  of  public  promoter  to  that  of  head  of  a  seminary 
with  great  joy  and  perfect  ease.  In  1849  death  severed  the 
perfect  bond. 

IV 

Mary  Lyon  would  have  been  the  last  to  make  any  extrava- 
gant claim  to  originality.  It  takes  many  people  to  make  one 
leader,  and  she  drew  her  ideas  and  inspiration  from  many 
sources.  But  her  name  will  be  remembered  in  a  very  special 
sense  because  she  conducted  the  first  great  demonstration 
that  actually  made  it  possible  for  women  to  secure  an  educa- 
tion equal  to  that  easily  attainable  by  men.  She  did  not  wait 
for  a  favorable  opportunity  to  begin  her  enterprise,  she 
brought  the  people  up  to  her  exalted  ideas.  Further,  not  only 
did  she  start  Mount  Holyoke  but  she  made  it  go.  The  cause 
would  have  been  set  back  many  years  had  the  seminary  been 
opened  and  then  failed.  She  was  not,  however,  in  the  habit 
of  failing. 

For  further  reading — Beth  Bradford  Gilchrist :  "The  Life 
of  Mary  Lj'-on." 

Suggestions  for  Thought  and  Discussion 

What  return  does  a  student  owe  to  society  for  his  education? 

Who  makes  up  the  deficit  between  the  student's  fee  and 
the  cost  of  his  education  ? 

To  what  extent  is  it  dishonest  to  fail  to  pay  for  education 
by  working  for  social  welfare? 

What  is  the  test  of  the  value  of  education? 

What  is  the  test  of  the  value  of  a  life?  When  has  a  per- 
son succeeded?     What  was  the  test  of  Alary  Lyon's  success? 

WHiat  is  your  judgment  of  Mary  Lyon's  demand  that  edu- 
cation should  be  planned  to  prepare  for  social  efficiency? 

128 


TRAINING  FOR  SOCIAL  EFFICIENCY     [IX-s] 

To  what  extent  is  social  efficiency  an  essential  element  of 
the  Christian  religion? 

What  kind  of  education  will  prepare  for  social  efficiency f 

What  is  the  difference  between  education  for  social  effi- 
ciency and  utilitarian  education?  Education  for  social  effi- 
ciency and  culture? 

Why  did  Mary  Lyon  scorn  the  finishing  school  type  of  edu- 
cation of  her  day? 

What  was  her  idea  of  what  should  go  into  a  curriculum? 
What  do  we  think  about  it? 

When  is  education  for  a  trade  or  profession  not  education 
for  social  efficiency? 

Does  the   real   citizen  need  religious   education? 

What  relation  has  education  to  Hfe  work?  What  is  the 
difference  between   life   work  and   social   efficiency? 

What  is  the  particular  value  of  coming  to  know  great  per- 
sonalities through  our  studies? 

What  is  the  specific  social  value  of  a  deep  and  lasting 
friendship  with  Jesus  Christ? 

How  far  does  education  today  prepare  for  social  efficiency^ 

To  what  extent  is  the  college  curriculum  planned  for  social 
efficiency? 

How  far  have  I  chosen  my  college  subjects  to  prepare  me 
for  social  efficiency? 


129 


CHAPTER    X 

THE  PIONEER'S  CHANCE 

JAMES   ROBERTSON 

Daily  Readings 

In  great  movements  most  of  us  have  to  be  a  part  of  the 
forces  of  occupation  that  follow  the  pioneer.  Yet  the  spirit 
of  the  pioneer  ought  to  be  in  each  one  of  us :  then  we  might, 
even  in  our  daily  life,  be  more  adventurous  for  the  cause 
of  God  and  man.  More  faith  in  the  future,  more  willing- 
ness to  stake  our  lives  on  the  character  of  God,  less  fear  in 
venturing  out  into  the  unknown,  would  greatly  improve  the 
kind  of  work  we  all  could  do  in  the  world. 

1.  An  early  pioneer 

Now  Jehovah  said  unto  Abram,  Get  thee  out  of 
thy  country,  and  from  thy  kindred,  and  from  thy 
father's  house,  unto  the  land  that  I  will  show  thee: 
and  I  will  make  of  thee  a  great  nation,  and  I  will 
bless  thee,  and  make  thy  name  great;  and  be  thou  a 
blessing:  and  I  will  bless  them  that  bless  thee,  and 
him  that  curseth  thee  will  I  curse :  and  in  thee  shall 
all  the  families  of  the  earth  be  blessed. — Gen.  12:  1-3. 

This  is  the  kind  of  call  that  comes  to  every  real  pioneer — 
up,  out,  and  away  to  places  where  adventurous  souls  are 
needed. 

Are  we  holding  ourselves  ready  to  venture  out  into  some 
new  line  if  the  call  comes?  Are  we  determined  always  to 
remain  in  a  safe  place? 

2.  The  courage  of  the  unknown 

The  pioneer  advances  out  beyond  the  well-populated  dis- 
130 


THE  PIONEER'S  CHANCE  [X-3] 

tricts  into  the  wilderness  beyond.  The  outlying  country  is 
hardly  known  at  all,  and  the  reports  contradict  one  another. 
But  the  pioneer  starts  out  with  his  face  resolutely  toward  the 
vague  unknown  in  the^  confidence  that  there  is  there  nothing 
that  a  brave  man  need  fear  to  meet. 

See  the  experience  of  the  Israelites  when  they  approached 
Canaan. 

And  they  returned  from  spying  out  the  land  at  the 
end  of  forty  days.  And  they  went  and  came  to 
Moses,  and  to  Aaron,  and  to  all  the  congregation 
of  the  children  of  Israel,  unto  the  wilderness  of 
Paran,  to  Kadesh ;  and  brought  back  word  unto 
them,  and  unto  all  the  congregation,  and  showed 
them  the  fruit  of  the  land.  And  they  told  him,  and 
said,  We  came  unto  the  land  whither  thou  sentest 
us ;  and  surely  it  floweth  with  milk  and  honey ;  and 
this  is  the  fruit  of  it.  Howbeit  the  people  that  dwell 
in  the  land  are  strong,  and  the  cities  are  fortified, 
and  very  great :  and  moreover  we  saw  the  children  of 
Anak  there.  Amalek  dwelleth  in  the  land  of  the 
South:  and  the  Hittite,  and  the  Jebusite,  and  the 
Amorite,  dwell  in  the  hill-country;  and  the  Canaanite 
dwelleth  by  the  sea,  and  along  by  the  side  of  the 
Jordan. — Num.   13  :  25-29. 

In  spite  of  the  words  of  the  answer  of  the  bold  Caleb,  who 
stood  out  against  the  pessimistic  report,  the  people  turned 
back  afraid — and  it  was  forty  years  before  they  came  to  the 
same  place  again. 

Are  we  always  with  the  crowd,  like  the  majority  of  the 
committee   of  investigation? 

3.    Are  we  willing  really  to  trust  Godf 

The  heart  of  the  confidence  of  the  real  spiritual  pioneer 
is  his  faith  that  if  he  is  doing  the  work  of  God,  then  God 
can  take  care  of  him  in  His  own  universe. 

The  first  great  Christian  missionary  knew  something  of 
pioneering.     If  Paul's  travels  are  dull  in  our  minds  it  is  only 

131 


[X-4]  CHRISTIAN  STANDARDS  IN  LIFE 

because  of  our  lack  of  imagination.     Where  is  the  secret  of 
his  confidence?    Hear  his  own  words: 

What  then  shall  we  say  to  these  things?  If  God 
is  for  us,  who  is  against  us?  He  that  spared  not  his 
own  Son,  but  delivered  him  up  for  us  all,  how  shall 
he  not  also  with  him  freely  give  us  all  things?  Who 
shall  lay  anything  to  the  charge  of  God's  elect?  It 
is  God  that  justifieth;  who  is  he  that  condemneth? 
It  is  Christ  Jesus  that  died,  yea  rather,  that  was 
raised  from  the  dead,  who  is  at  the  right  hand  of 
God,  who  also  maketh  intercession  for  us:  Who 
shall  separate  us  from  the  love  of  Christ?  Shall 
tribulation,  or  anguish,  or  persecution,  or  famine,  or 
nakedness,  or  peril,  or  sword?     Even  as  it  is  written. 

For  thy  sake  we  are  killed  all  the  day  long; 

We  were  accounted  as  sheep  for  the  slaughter. 
Nay,  in  all  these  things  we  are  more  than  conquerors 
through  him  that  loved  us.  For  I  am  persuaded, 
that  neither  death,  nor  life,  nor  angels,  nor  princi- 
palities, nor  things  present,  nor  things  to  come,  nor 
powers,  nor  height,  nor  depth,  nor  any  other  crea- 
ture, shall  be  able  to  separate  us  from  the  love  of 
God,  which  is  in  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord. — Rom. 
8:31-39. 

Are  we  trying  to  look  life  in  the  face  like  thatf 

4.     What  is  the  price  of  pioneering? 

Every  great  pioneer  seems  to  scorn  the  cost.  Paul's  word  of 
yesterday  is  defiant — let  them  come  one  and  all,  nothing  can 
make  him,  turn  his  back.  Such  as  he  are  not  to  be  balked 
by  opposition  of  any  kind,  nor  by  those  who  try  to  make 
their  schemes  seem  ridiculous,  nor  by  the  subtle  inner 
hindrances  of  downright  laziness  and  love  of  ease.  They, 
are  going  to  "see  it  through." 

Consider  the  quiet  resolute  tone  of  the  pioneer,  Peter,  the 
disciple  of  our  Lord.  He  had  been  warned  not  to  preach 
any  more. 

132 


THE  PIONEER'S  CHANCE  [X-s] 

Now  when  the  captain  of  the  temple  and  the  chief 
priests  heard  these  words,  they  were  much  perplexed 
concerning  them  whereunto  this  would  grow.  And 
there  came  one  and  told  them,  Behold,  the  men  whom 
ye  put  in  the  prison  are  in  the  temple  standing  and 
teaching  the  people.  Then  went  the  captain  with  the 
officers,  and  brought  them,  but  without  violence ;  for 
they  feared  the  people,  lest  they  should  be  stoned. 
And  when  they  had  brought  them,  they  set  them 
before  the  council.  And  the  high  priest  asked  them, 
saying.  We  strictly  charged  you  not  to  teach  in  this 
name :  and  behold,  ye  have  filled  Jerusalem  with  your 
teaching,  and  intend  to  bring  this  man's  blood  upon 
us.  But  Peter  and  the  apostles  answered  and  said, 
We  must  obey  God  rather  than  men.  The  God  of 
our  fathers  raised  up  Jesus,  whom  ye  slew,  hanging 
him  on  a  tree.  Him  did  God  exalt  with  his  right 
hand  to  be  a  Prince  and  a  Saviour,  to  give  repentance 
to  Israel,  and  remission  of  ,sins.  And  we  are  wit- 
nesses of  these  things;  and  so  is  the  Holy  Spirit, 
whom  God  hath  given  to  them  that  obey  him. — Acts 
5 :  24-32. 

Are  we  ready  to  take  a  stand  like  that  and  to  hack  others 
who  dof 

5.     The  glory  of  the  cause 

To  a  real  pioneer,  the  glory  of  the  cause  he  represents  is 
before  everything  else  in  his  mind.  This  is  the  power  that 
helps  him  to  see  things  in  their  true  perspective,  and  makes 
it  possible  for  him  to  overcome  great  opposition  and  bear 
all  the  petty  annoyance.  Loyalty  to  a  cause  puts  some  of 
the  pioneer  qualities  into  the  everyday  stay-at-homes.  This 
loyalty  gradually  changes  us  till  we  put  the  cause  above  our 
own  selves. 

Consider  Paul's  striking  words  of  self-abnegation  in  one 
place : 

I  say  the  truth  in  Christ,  I  lie  not,  my  conscience 
bearing  witness  with  me  in  the  Holy  Spirit,  that  I 

133 


[X-6]  CHRISTIAN  STANDARDS  IN  LIFE 

have  great  sorrow  and  unceasing  pain  in  my  heart. 
For  I  could  wish  that  I  myself  were  anathema  from 
Christ  for  my  brethren's  sake,  my  kinsmen  accord- 
ing to  the  flesh. — Rom.  9 :  1-3. 

Have  we  ever  tried  so  hard  to  see  a  big  thing  through  in 
college  that  we  did  not  care  for  our  personal  success? 

6.  The  Kingdom  of  God 

The  reign  of  God  that  was  inaugurated  by  Jesus  Christ 
was  for  the  whole  world.  The  task  of  carrying  on  the 
gradual  occupation  of  all  nations  was  entrusted  to  men 
working  with  God.  Slowly,  very  slowly,  the  fields  are  occu- 
pied; partly  because  there  are  too  few  pioneers,  partly 
because  the  rest  of  us  follow  the  pioneers  too  slowly.  There 
are  fields  of  philosophy  and  science  to  be  taken.  There  are 
fields  of  trading  and  manufacturing  to  be  brought  within 
the  Kingdom.  There  are  many  people  living  in  misery  be- 
cause they  have  not  the  message  of  hope  and  courage  of  the 
Gospel.  There  are  the  unoccupied  fields  and  there  are  the 
fields  held  by  too  few. 

Think  of  the  needs  of  men  who  have  had  no  chance. 

7^  there  no  call  in  all  this  to  usf 

7.  The  Master  Pioneer 

Jesus  Christ  came  as  a  great  pioneer.  He  came  to  bring 
a  new  message  concerning  the  character  of  God — to  teli 
men  that  God  is  their  Father.  He  came  to  live  the  char- 
acter of  God  before  men  and  thus  show  them  the  love  of 
the  Father.  He  came  to  teach  that  brotherly  love  is  better 
than  remorseless  competition.  He  came  to  die  to  prove  that 
sacrifice  is  stronger  than  self-assertion.  In  the  new  world 
of  ideas  He  has  secured  for  us,  we  almost  forget  that  He 
was  a  pioneer.    What  if  He  had  never  left  the  beaten  track? 

Have  this  mind,  in  you,  which  was  also  in  Christ 
Jesus :  who,  existing  in  the  form  of  God,  counted 
not  the  being  on  an  equality  with  God  a  thing  to  be 

134 


^  THE  PIONEER'S  CHANCE  [X-s] 

grasped,  but  emptied  himself,  taking  the  form  of  a 
servant,  being  made  in  the  likeness  of  men;  and 
being  found  in  fashion  as  a  man,  he  humbled  him- 
self, becoming  obedient  even  unto  death,  yea,  the 
death  of  the  cross.  Wherefore  also  God  highly- 
exalted  him,  and  gave  unto  him  the  name  which  is 
above  every  name;  that  in  the  name  of  Jesus  every 
knee  should  bow,  of  things  in  heaven  and  things  on 
earth  and  things  under  the  earth,  and  that  every 
tongue  should  confess  that  Jesus  Christ  is  Lord,  to 
the  glory  of  God  the  Father. — Phil.  2:5-11. 

Who  will  stand  by  the  pioneers?     Who  will  make  pioneer- 
ing a  success? 

Study  for  the  Week 


When  the  French  ceded  Canada  to  England  in  1763,  the 
charter  granted  by  Charles  II  a  hundred  years  before  to 
the  "Company  of  Adventurers  of  England  trading  into 
Hudson's  Bay"  left  the  wide  land  stretching  northwest  from 
the  Great  Lakes  completely  in  the  power  of  this  great  trading 
institution.  Its  sway  was  disputed  in  violence  and  bloodshed 
by  the  North-west  Company  till  the  amalgamation  of  the 
two  companies  early  in  the  nineteenth  century;  but  there 
was  no  other  questioning  of  these  sovereign  rights  till  1870. 
It  may  be  imagined  that  these  fields  of  romantic  adventure 
were  no  place  for  the  settler.  Still,  early  in  the  last  century. 
Lord  Selkirk  had  brought  his  "Selkirk  Settlers"  to  the  Red 
River  district — now  the  province  of  Manitoba.  These  sturdy 
Scots  clung  to  their  holdings  for  two  generations  in  the 
face  of  harrowing  difficulties. 

Among  other  trials,  these  people  of  a  devout  race  were 
left  without  ministers  of  their  own  kind  for  a  generation. 
Some  good  men  of  the  Anglican  communion  made  visits 
among  them  which  were  gratefully  received,  but  they  kept 
the  faith  of  their  fathers  in  hope.  In  the  fifties  the  dauntless 
John  Black  came  to  the  Red  River  and  the  Scots  rallied  to 

135 


[X-s]  CHRISTIAN  STANDARDS  IN  LIFE 

him.  Conditions  of  life  were  hard,  opportunity  was  small — 
for  the  fur-traders  had  no  particular  love  for  colonists;  but 
the  people  kept  coming  in  and  trade  began  to  develop  south- 
ward. Around  the  stone  block-houses  of  Fort  Garry,  the 
town  of  Winnipeg  was  springing  up  "ambitious,  seditious, 
vicious."  John  Black's  appeals  for  help  to  the  churches  of 
Eastern  Canada  and  Britain  fell  on  deaf  ears  till  1862,  when 
a  helper  was  sent  to  him.  By  1870  there  were  five  ministers 
in  the  field. 

In  1870  the  Government  took  over  the  administration  of  the 
Northwest  from  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company.  The  great 
day  of  the  voyageur  and  the  trader  was  over,  the  day  of 
the  settler  had  come.  But  the  case  of  the  settlers  in  those 
days  had  as  yet  little  promise.  The  work  on  the  plains  was 
cruelly  hard  and  profit  small,  long  journeys  were  necessary 
to  bring  in  supplies,  sometimes  mud  houses  had  to  supply  a 
questionable  shelter  against  those  winters  cold  beyond  the 
settler's  worst  dream.  Then  there  was  the  isolation  and  the 
Consequent  loneliness,  and  all  the  uncertainty— increasing  the 
misery  of  poverty  ten-fold. 

And  they  were  largely  without  the  ministrations  of  reli- 
gion. Pioneer  people  usually  live  right  down  among  the  real 
things  of  life.  They  see  death  just  ahead  of  them  many 
times.  And  when  they  come  from  a  race  of  men  who  have 
believed  in  God,  they  are  doubly  tortured  if  their  troubles 
can  find  no  relief  in  worship.  Hope,  courage,  and  faith  are 
as  necessary  as  food,  tools,  and  seed.  He  who  has  any  doubts 
about  the  necessity  of  religion  in  the  life  of  a  community 
has  only  to  visit  a  real  frontier  town  to  realize  the  desperate 
straits  of  those  who  are  cast  out  alone  in  a  new  and  hostile 
environment  without  the  steadying  influence  of  the  institu- 
tions of  religion. 

In  the  eventful  year  of  1870  the  Province  of  Manitoba  was 
established,  and  the  people  of  Canada  began  to  understand' 
that  there  was  a  great  land  of  their  own  on  the  prairies. 
The  Presbyterian  Church,  whose  adherents  in  that  section 
probably    outnumbered    those    of    any    other    denomination,^ 

136 


THE  PIONEER'S  CHANCE  [X-s] 

awakened  to  its  responsibility;  and  the  Presbytery  of  Mani- 
toba was  erected.  In  1871  the  General  Assembly  of  this 
church  organized  Manitoba  College  on  the  urgent  prayer  of 
John  Black  and  his  associates.  Then  Knox  Church  in 
Winnipeg  set  out  to  find  itself  a  pastor.  They  called  the 
Convener  of  the  Home  Mission  Committee  of  the  Presby- 
terian Church  in  Canada.  He  declined  the  call,  but  sent 
the  minister  in  Norwich,  Ontario,  to  ''spy  out  the  land,"  and 
report  on  conditions.  In  the  dead  of  winter,  1873,  the  lean 
and  rugged  James  Robertson  first  turned  his  face  toward 
the  West. 

Ten  days  of  hard  journeying  brought  him  to  Winnipeg. 
Owing  to  certain  unfortunate  conditions,  he  received  but  a 
cold  welcome.  He  had  expected  to  take  charge  of  the  Knox 
Church  for  the  six  months  of  his  stay  in  the  West,  but  the 
situation  made  it  seem  advisable  for  him  to  wait  for  six 
weeks.  During  this  period  he  went  out  to  take  a  look  at 
the  country.  He  picked  out  the  post  at  Palestine  as  a  center 
of  operation  and  began  work.  He  preached,  visited  the  people, 
and  began  at  once  to  organize  congregations  and  schools.  In 
an  early  letter  home  he  wrote  one  significant  sentence : 
*T  expect  to  see  a  school  next  winter."  His  visit,  oddly 
enough  undertaken  with  a  view  to  rest  and  change,  was 
supposed  to  end  in  six  months.  Why  did  he  talk  of  "next 
winter"?  He  was  a  pioneer  at  heart,  this  country  had  seized 
him ;  it  fastened  on  him  then,  and  never  let  him  go. 

He  came  to  Knox  Church  in  Winnipeg,  and  the  end  of  it 
all  was  that  they  called  him  as  their  minister.  He  could 
not  decide  the  momentous  question  himself  and  he  left  it  to 
the  leaders  in  Winnipeg  and  Norwich.  In  the  end  they 
decided  for  Winnipeg. 

The  real  life  of  the  pioneer  had  begun. 

II 

This  pioneer  was  equipped  at  every  point,.  He  was  born 
in   Scotland  and   inherited  the   characteristic  powers  of  the 

137 


[X-s]  CHRISTIAN  STANDARDS  IN  LIFE 

indomitable  race  inhabiting  that  country.  The  family  emi- 
grated to  Canada  when  James  Robertson  was  still  a  boy. 
A  sound  intellectual  equipment  joined  to  dogged  persistence 
put  him  in  line  early  for  a  school  teacher's  certificate  and  he 
began  his  higher  education  by  teaching.  Through  the  years 
he  worked  and  saved  and  was  able  to  enter  the  University 
of  Toronto  in  1863  at  the  age  of  twenty-four.  He  had 
decided  on  the  Christian  ministry  as  his  life-work,  and  after 
graduation  completed  his  theological  studies  in  Princeton 
Theological  Seminary  and  Union  Theological  Seminary,  New 
York.  Every  effort  was  made  to  secure  him  for  the  work 
of  a  down-town  mission  of  the  Fifth  Avenue  Presbyterian 
Church,  but  the  pull  of  the  home  land  was  too  strong  to 
be  resisted.     In  1869  he  began  his  work  at  Norwich,  Ontario. 

Before  he  commenced  his  college  course  he  had  won  the 
love  of  a  faithful  girl.  She  waited  for  him  without  com- 
plaint through  the  long  years,  and  they  were  married  just 
before  he  took  charge  of  his  church.  These  years  of  tedium 
and  uncertainty  were  just  a  prelude  to  the  tremendous  sacri- 
fice that  this  wonderful  woman  had  to  make  through  her 
whole  life.  For  though  the  pioneer's  work  may  be  hard,  it 
has  compensations  that  the  pioneer's  wife  shares  only  through 
faith.  Months  and  years  of  separation  she  had  to  bear. 
We  are  told  that  her  courage  matched  in  every  way  that  of 
her  fearless  husband. 

James  Robertson  was  ready  for  the  great  work  that  lay 
before  him.  Though  he  was  a  delicate  boy,  he  developed 
into  a  strong  man;  and  he  came  to  the  west  in  possession 
of  that  excess  of  physical  vigor  absolutely  necessary  for 
the  trail-breaking  task.  His  intellectual  preparation  was 
thorough.  At  no  point  had  he  shirked.  Though  his  life  was 
primarily  a  life  of  action,  men  dare  to  call  him  a  scholar. 
Through  the  years  crowded  with  things  to  do,  he  still  managed 
to  read  and  think  more  than  do  most  men  who  live  com- 
fortable and  well-ordered  lives.  Above  all  he  had  the  spirit 
of  the  missionary.  Always  he  kept  thinking  about  those 
who  had  no  one  else  to  think  about  them.    At  every  turn  he 

138 


THE  PIONEER'S  CHANCE  [X-s] 

pressed  upon  men  his.  service — just  whatever  he  could  do  to 
help.  Their  material  needs  were  always  sure  of  his  sympathy, 
but  he  never  failed  to  make  plain  to  them  that  he  thought 
the  things  of  the  spirit  were  more  necessary  than  food  and 
shelter. 

Ill 

Winnipeg  did  not  live  for  itself.  Its  interests  were  bound 
up  with  those*  of  the  whole  developing  West,  and  the  new 
pastor  of  Knox  Church  was  not  likely  to  have  interests 
narrower  than  those  of  his  community.  His  home  became 
"a  kind  of  Immigration  Office,  a  General  Information  Bureau, 
and  Employment  Agency,  an  Institution  for  Universal  Aid." 
They  quite  got  into  the  habit  of  turning  over  lonely  and 
disheartened  strangers  to  him.  Newcomers  were  very  likely 
to  see  a  big  rugged  man  with  the  trace  of  a  Scotch  burr  in 
his  voice  on  the  station  platform  as  they  came  in.  Then 
he  followed  them  out  to  their  new  homes.  Large  numbers 
of  these  people  were  of  his  own  race  and  his  own  church. 
To  such  this  loyal  Presbyterian  was  irresistibly  drawn.  But 
anyone  in  need  never  appealed  to  him  in  vain.  From  his 
center  in  Knox  Church  he  worked  out  as  an  unofficial 
organizer  over  the  whole  province,  for  the  burden  of  the 
West  was  upon  him. 

An  old  Scotch  lady  recounted  to  a  friend  of  his  her  first 
experience  in  Winnipeg.  With  her  husband  and  two  boys, 
one  a  baby,  she  had  to  stay  one  Sunday  in  the  immigration 
sheds  at  Winnipeg.  James  Robertson  came  to  preach.  He 
told  them  the  story  of  Abraham's  adventure  into  the  north- 
west. After  many  years  she  remembered  the  two  great 
thoughts  he  left  with  them :  "God  is  going  with  you.  Do  not 
be  discouraged.  Never  give  up  hope"  and  "You  are  going 
to  make  a  new  country;  build  your  foundation  for  God." 
He  went  out  on  the  prairie  with  them  the  next  day  to  set 
them  on  their  road. 

For  seven  years,  1874  to  1881,  great  years  for  Winnipeg, 
he  was  pastor  of  Knox  Church,  loved  and  respected  by  the 

139 


IX-s]  CHRISTIAN  STANDARDS  IN  LIFE 

people  and  received  as  a  leader  everywhere.  It  was  a  church 
made  up  of  fine,  strong  people ;  and  they  had  a  minister  who 
was  every  inch  a  man.  He  helped  to  make  the  church  and 
the  church  helped  to  make  him. 

How  decisive  and  virile  are  all  his  acts  and  words !  Once 
when  they  were  debating  ways  and  means,  he  said :  "Don't 
charge  for  your  social;  when  we  want  money,  I'll  ask  the 
people  for  it  straight."  Throughout  the  rest  of  his  life  he 
had  to  be  asking  people  for  money.  You  will  search  in  vain 
for  any  note  of  apology  in  his  requests.  He  "asked  straight" 
every  time. 

Once  a  railroad  magnate  greeted  him  with  the  words : 
"Well,  Mr.  Robertson,  I  suppose  you  are  on  one  of  your 
begging  tours." 

"I  am  doing  your  work,  sir,"  was  the  dignified  answer. 

"My  work?" 

"Yes,  sir.  You  are  a  Presbyterian,  you  are  a  Canadian, 
and  you  are  interested  in  the  West." 

And  then  James  Robertson  refused  to  receive  a  small 
gift  from  this  man  because  its  amount  was  utterly  unworthy 
of  the  giver. 

In  i88i  the  need  for  organization  and  direction  in  the 
mission  work  in  the  West  became  so  apparent  that  the 
General  Assembly  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  in  Canada 
decided  that  a  Superintendent  should  be  appointed.  There 
was  only  one  man  fit  for  the  work.  So  it  was  that  James 
Robertson  left  his  church;  and  till  the  day  of  his  death,  in 
1902,  he  remained  "the  Superintendent." 

IV 

The  Superintendent  was  completely  in  his  element.  The 
people  on  the  frontier  were  cast  loose  from  accustomed 
restrictions  and  without  the  visible  ministrations  of  religion. 
How  well  he  knew  them.  He  knew  that  human  beings 
gradually  lose  the  reality  of  their  faith  and  the  name  of 
God  passes  out  of  reverent  use.     They  must  have  churches 

140 


THE  PIONEER'S  CHANCE  [X-s] 

and  ministers.  There  must  be  a  recognized  and  permanent 
place  given  to  religion  in  each  of  the  new  communities.  He 
raised  a  fund  to  help  them  build  churches — to  give  "visi- 
bility and  permanence"  to  the  work.  Eagerly  he  pressed  on 
each  community  that  the  work  was  worth  the  cost,  that  they 
ought  to  maintain  for  their  own  sakes  the  establishments  of 
Christianity.  His  building  fund  included  provision  for  homes 
for  his  workers.  Decent  temporary  quarters  could  not  be 
obtained,  and  his  men  and  their  families  must  be  able  to 
keep  their  self-respect.  The  passion  of  his  soul  kept  driving 
him  out  and  out,  wherever  the  new  people  were  stringing 
out  their  settlements  onto  the  plains. 

Driven  by  his  desire,  he  brushed  aside  the  hardships  and 
numberless  annoyances.  Sacrifice  was  no  pleasanter  to  him 
than  to  any  of  the  rest  of  us.  But  he  was  sure  that  the  work 
must  be  done,  and  he  could  not  see  that  the  fact  that  it 
involved  hardship  for  him  was  any  reason  for  neglect  of  the 
service.  If  God  was  with  him,  no  man  nor  beast  nor  power 
could  stop  him — least  of  all  his  own  fastidiousness  or  love 
of  comfort.  So  he  kept  through  life  the  joyous  buoyancy 
with  which  he  started  out  on  his  first  little  drive  of  two 
thousand  miles.  He  never  whined  at  the  long  hard  days  in 
the  tert-ific  winter  cold.  He  ate  the  bad  food,  wrapped 
himself  up  in  the  beds  full  of  unmentionable  horrors,  wrote 
and  worked  in  the  cold  and  leaky  houses,  preached  from  an 
upturned  box  or  a  mound  of  grass  or  from  behind  the  bar 
of  a  saloon,  and  faced  steadily  the  constant  indifference  and 
opposition:  not  only  did  he  do  all  this  without  a  murmur, 
but  he  had  the  effrontery  to  ask  other  men  to  join  him. 
The  long  separation  from  his  family  hurt  him  more  than 
anything  else.  Once  he  went  for  sixteen  years  without  being 
home  at  Christmas. 

The  people  kept  coming  in  faster  than  he  could  provide 
for  them.  The  churches  in  the  East  seemed  to  hirti  only 
half  aroused  to  their  responsibility.  Day  by  day  he  saw 
opportunities  pass  because  there  were  no  men.  His  impatience 
can  hardly  be  wondered  at.     His  words  are  stern,  but  they 

141 


[X-s]  CHRISTIAN  STANDARDS  IN  LIFE 

are  les^  hard  than  those  of  his  Master  who  called  men  to 
just  such  work. 

"Oh,  the  folly  of  thinking  you  have  a  call  to  preach,  and 
will  not  hear  a  voice  from  any  place  but  Ontario." 

"Our  young  men  religiously  avoid  missions  and  augmented 
congregations.  Providence  never  guides  their  steps  to  them. 
He  seems  to  take  charge  of  places  with  large  salaries  and 
comfortable  surroundings." 

"Our  young  graduates  in  the  East  think  that  God  calls 
them  to  places  where  work  is  easy,  the  meals  good,  and  the 
beds  soft,  and  that  a  call  where  work  is  hard  and  climate 
severe  must  be  from  the  evil  one." 

"I  pleaded  the  case  with  them,  and  finally  a  number  of 
them  promised  to  lay  the  matter  before  the  Lord.  I  told  them 
they  need  not  take  the  trouble,  for  I  could  tell  them  now 
what  the  answer  would  be,  for  I  had  found  that  whenever 
a  man  proposed  to  ask  the  Lord  about  Western  work,  the 
Lord  as  a  rule  indicated  the  less  laborious  sphere." 

Such  words,  no  doubt,  annoyed  many  complacent  people; 
still  James  Robertson  drew  many  heroic  men  to  his  work. 
For  one  kind  of  men  the  Superintendent  had  no  sympathy — 
the  men  who  promised  to  take  up  a  station  and  then  deserted 
at  the  last  moment. 

But  there  was  no  lack  of  sympathy  in  his  heart  for  the 
honest  worker.  Shirking  drove  him  to  a  kind  of  divine 
fury  and  the  slightest  trace  of  insincerity  meant  the  loss 
of  his  confidence.  The  audiences  in  the  new  West  were  not 
made  up  of  college  professors,  but  the  Superintendent  came 
down  hard  on  slovenly  preparation.  Still  for  every  good 
worker  in  real  difficulty  there  was  an  inexhaustible  supply 
of  kindness  in  his  heart.  He  was  always  making  detours, 
little  circles  of  three  or  four  days  hard  driving  over  the 
plains,  just  to  encourage  a  man  in  trouble. 

He  placed  the  honor  of  his  cause  before  himself.  He 
placed  it  before  his  men.  The  task  in  which  he  guided  the 
powers  of  his  church  was  not  a  field  for  the  exercise  of 
preachers,   it  was  work  as  regular  as  any  other  branch  of 

142 


THE  PIONEER'S  CHANCE  [X-s] 

the  Church,  Shall  the  cause  be  sacrificed  for  the  good  of 
any  one  man  ?  Never !  "The  men  are  for  the  work,  not 
the  work  for  the  men."  He  called  on  his  workers  to  live 
always  so  that  they  would  be  a  credit  to  their  Master  and  to 
their  Church,  so  that  the  cause  would  stand  out  in  them 
with  dignity  and  nobility. 

No  small  part  of  Dr.  Robertson's  wonderful  success  lay 
in  his  wisdom  in  dealing  with  all  kinds  of  people.  Friends 
shuddered  one  night  when  he  began  to  talk  to  a  group  of 
miners  about  Home  Missions.  What  subject  could  be  more 
inappropriate?  But  he  made  his  case.  Did  he  not  know  to 
a  hair  the  power  of  his  own  manly  kind  of  presentation  of 
a  manly  cause? 

Once  he  was  putting  up  a  notice  of  his  service.  A  young 
man  came  up  and  at  once  began  to  pour  out  a  string  of 
curses.  The  Superintendent  said  nothing  till  he  had  finished, 
then: 

"Is  that  the  best  you  can  do?  You  ought  to  go  to  Jake. 
You  go  to  Jake.  He'll  give  you  points."  The  general  laugh 
swallowed  up  the  young  man. 

That  evening  Dr.  Robertson  said  to  the  same  man: 

"Come  now,  own  up.  You  were  trying  to  bluff  me  this 
afternoon,  weren't  you?" 

"Well,  I  guess  so." 

Another  thing;  he  took  the  trouble  to  remember  people. 
A  man  would  step  up  to  him  and  say,  "You  don't  recollect 
me  but — "  "Yes,  I  do,"  would  come  the  answer.  "We  met  in 
Montreal  twelve  years  ago  at  such  and  such  a  place." 

The  actual  success  of  the  Home  Mission  Work  guided 
by  James  Robertson  bore  out  the  expectations  of  those  who 
knew  the  man.  The  reports  read  like  fairy-tales  to  those  who 
are  unfamiliar  with  the  possibilities  of  a  devout  man  working 
in  a  new  land.  There  was  no  trifling  with  the  central  task. 
The  Church  was  there  first  and  foremost  to  preach  its  Gospel 
and  the  Superintendent  saw  that  this  was  done.  He  kept 
to  his  own  job  always,  and  did  that  so  supremely  well  that 
he  came  to  have  influence   far  and  wide.     The   leaders   of 

143 


[X-s]  CHRISTIAN  STANDARDS  IN  LIFE 

government  were  his  friends,  the  officials  of  the  Canadian 
Pacific  Railway  trusted  his  counsel  more  than  once,  and  in 
all  the  churches  he  was  recognized  as  the  real  representative 
of  the  great  West.  He  received  the  degree  of  Doctor  of 
Divinity  in  1888,  and  was  elected  Moderator  of  the  General 
Assembly  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  in  Canada  in  189S, 
following  in  the  office  Mackay  of  Formosa.  Let  it  be  remem- 
bered that  through  all  these  years  he  kept  reaching  out  to 
new  people — newly  arrived  miners,  the  settlements  of  Ice- 
landers, Hungarians,  and  Scandinavians,  and  the  Indians,  and 
every  needy  group  that  came  under  his  eye. 


In  the  last  years  of  his  life  we  find  this  pioneer  just  where 
we  might  expect  to  find  him — opening  up  new  lines  of  service. 
He  promoted  a  great  work  in  the  Yukon  territory  when  the 
Klondike  rush  was  on.  It  was  typical  of  him  that  he  should 
be  in  at  the  start  in  this  advance. 

In  January,  1912,  death  cut  him  down  in  the  midst  of  work. 

Circumstance  could  win  no  single  victory  over  this  man. 
Every  kind  of  annoyance  and  suffering  wasted  itself  upon  him 
in  vain.  Strong,  upstanding,  he  feared  nothing.  The  storms 
of  the  western  plains  and  the  blasts  of  prejudice  were  all 
alike  to  him,  distracting  but  quite  harmless.  For  he  carried 
with  him  the  needs  of  a  people,  he  had  a  cause.  The  cause 
was  cruel  to  him ;  it  made  him  forego  comfort  and  ease,  it 
robbed  him  of  his  just  leisure,  it  tricked  him  out  of  home 
fellowship,  it  loaded  him  with  suffering:  it  was  also  kind 
to  him;  it  brought  to  him  strength,  a  joy  that  was  out  of  the 
reach  of  circumstances,  the  sound  enduring  gratitude  of 
hundreds  of  human  beings,  a  name  that  will  long  stand  for 
the  best  things  of  life,  and  a  confidence  in  the  approval  of 
his  God. 

For  further  reading — Ralph  Connor :  "The  Life  of  James 
Robertson." 

144 


THE  PIONEER'S  CHANCE  [X-s] 

Suggestions  for  Thought  and  Discussion 
What  is  it  to  he  a  pioneerf 

What  qualities  of  the  pioneer  did  Robertson  have? 
What  is  the  pioneer's  chance t 

Why  is  it  that  a  new  country  is  so  attractive  to  a  person 
of  the  pioneer  spirit? 

What  opportunity  was  laid  before  the  students  of  Canada 
when  Robertson  began  his  pioneer  service?  What  did  Robert- 
son accomplish?  Are  the  same  kind  of  opportunities  open 
on  the   frontier  today? 

Is  a  wilderness  necessary  to. pioneering? 

To  what  extent  is  the  pioneer  necessary  to  progress  in  the 
twentieth  century?  What  are  some  of  the  fields  of  adventure 
in  the  twentieth  century? 

Is  the  Christian  religion  a  pioneering  religion?  How  far 
is  the  pioneer  spirit  necessary  for  Christian  achievements 
today  ? 

What  is  it  that  stops  pioneering? 

Who  is  excused  from  pioneering? 

Are  college  students  adventurers? 

Why  is  it  so  difficult  to  change  questionable  college  customs  ? 

What  attitude  is  taken  toward  the  student  who  dares  to 
depart  from  the  accepted  ideas  of  the  college? 

How  many  are  ready  to  stake  a  safe  proposition  for  the 
sake  of  larger  possibilities? 

Where  in  college  does  the  student  have  the  chance  to 
be  a  pioneer? 


145 


CHAPTER    XI 

OBEDIENCE  TO   A  COMMANDING 
PURPOSE 

SAMUEL  JOHN   MILLS 

Daily  Readings 

"O  young  Mariner, 
Down  to  the  haven 
Call  your  companions, 
Launch  your  vessel. 
And  crowd  your  canvas, 
And  ere  it  vanishes 
Over  the  margin, 
After  it,  follow  it, 
Follow  the  Gleam." 

I.     The  value  of  thinking  to  a  purpose 

The  most  practical  of  men  do  some  dreaming  of  the  things 
they  are  going  to  make  happen.  A  man  long  ago  wrote  a  tract 
that  contained  these  words  : 

And  it  shall  come  to  pass  afterward,  that  I  will 
pour  out  my  Spirit  upon  all  flesh ;  and  your  sons  and 
your  daughters  shall  prophesy,  your  old  men  shall 
dream  dreams,  your  young  men  shall  see  visions. 
Joel  2:28. 

Do  we  say  "Away  with  the  dreamers !  It  is  well  enough 
for  poets  sitting  in  the  meadows  and  for  idlers  in  the 
market-places,  but  the  citizens  who  carry  their  own  weight 
in  society  must  be  men  and  women  of  action"?     True,  but 

146 


OBEDIENCE   TO  A   PURPOSE  [XI-2] 

what  is  action?  Is  it  not  theory  crystallized  into  fact,  ideals 
visualized,  ambitions  realized?  Before  acting  comes  think- 
ing, and  thinking  to  a  purpose.  "Ponder,  then  dare,"  said 
von  Moltke.  What  opportunities  are  we  giving  ourselves 
for  quiet  thought  each  day? 

What  chance  do  vce  give  God  to  lead  us  to  high  and  com- 
manding purposes? 

2.  How  are  we  to  get  worthy  life-purposes? 

There  is  a  quaint  old  English  poem  entitled :  "Do  Ye 
Nexte  Thynge."  It  was  when  a  young  man  was  busy  about 
the  next  task  that  the  prophet's  mantle  was  cast  upon  him. 

So  he  departed  thence,  and  found  Elisha,  the  son 
of  Shaphat,  who  was  plowing,  with  twelve  yoke  of 
oxen  before  him,  and  he  with  the  twelfth:  and  Elijah 
passed  over  unto  him,  and  cast  his  mantle  upon 
him. — I  Kings  19 :  19. 

It  is  not  through  the  cloistered  life,  not  in  the  ecstatic 
mood,  that  God  usually  leads  men  to  high  purposes.  It  was 
when  Mills  was  working  on  a  farm  that  the  claims  of  the 
whole  round  world  came  to  him. 

3.  Obeying  a  great  life-purpose  is  its  own  reward 

The  man  who  "follows  the  Gleam"  is  not  seeking  even  the 
distinction  to  which  he  is  entitled.  The  very  pursuit  of  his 
purpose  pays  him.  He  rejoices  in  self-effacement  that  his 
ideal  may  go  forward.  John,  the  forerunner,  was  fearful 
lest  in  his  zeal  he  might  crowd  himself  to  the  front  and 
distract  attention  from  the  Greater  than  he. 

And  they  came  unto  John,  and  said  unto  him,  Rabbi, 
he  that  was  with  thee  beyond  the  Jordan,  to  whom 
thou  hast  borne  witness,  behold,  the  same  baptizeth, 
and  all  men  come  to  him.  John  answered  and  said, 
A  man  can  receive  nothing,  except  it  have  been  given 
him   from  heaven.     Ye  yourselves  bear  me  witness, 

147 


[XI-4]         CHRISTIAN  STANDARDS  IN  LIFE 

that  I  said,  I  am  not  the  Christ,  but,  that  I  am  sent 
before  him. — John  3  :  26-28. 

When  the  American  Bible  Society,  for  the  formation  of 
which  Mills  had  slaved  night  and  day,  was  finally  organized 
and  many  famous  men  were  present,  Mills  sat  in  a  corner 
of  the  gallery  lost  in  the  crowd. 

Would  such  an  experience  make  us  hitter  or  fill  us  with 
real  joy? 

4.    How  jar  reaching  are  my  ambitions? 

When  the  American  Board  ordained  its  first  missionaries, 
the  sermon  was  preached  from  the  Sixty-seventh  Psalm. 

God  be  merciful  unto  us,  and  bless  us. 
And  cause  his  face  to  shine  upon  us; 
That  thy  way  may  be  known  upon  earth, 
Thy  salvation  among  all  nations. 
Let  thy  peoples  praise  thee,  O  God; 
Let  all  the  nations  praise  thee. 
Oh  let  the  nations  be  glad  and  sing  for  joy; 
For  thou  wilt  judge  the  peoples  with  equity, 
And  govern  the  nations  upon  earth. 
Let  the  peoples  praise  thee,   O  God; 
Let  all  the  peoples  praise  thee. 
The  earth  hath  yielded  its  increase : 
God,  even  our  own  God,  will  bless  us. 
God  will  bless  us; 

And  all  the  ends  of  the  earth  shall  fear  him. 

— Psalm  67. 

So  Mills  sought  "blessings"  for  himself  only  that  God's 
"way"  might  be  known  upon  earth.  "Though  you  and  I 
are  very  little  beings,"  he  once  wrote  to  a  friend,  "we  must 
not  rest  satisfied  till  we  have  made  our  influence  extend  to 
the  remotest  corner  of  this  ruined  world." 

Does  "God's  salvation  among  all  nations"  give  us  any 
special  concern? 

148 


OBEDIENCE   TO  A   PURPOSE  [XI-s] 

5.  Success  is  measured  by  our  obedience  to  our  command- 
ing purposes 

A  Christian  can  never  meet  success  aside  from  the  pursuit 
of  the  purposes  to  which  his  Master  has  led  him.  Paul  was 
a  conspicuous  success  because  he  devoted  his  life  to  obeying 
the  purpose  to  which  he  was  led  by  his  experience  on  the 
Damascus  road. 

Whereupon  as  I  journeyed  to  Damascus  with  the 
authority  and  commission  of  the  chief  priests,  at 
midday,  O  king,  I  saw  on  the  way  a  light  from 
heaven,  above  the  brightness  of  the  sun,  shining 
round  about  me  and  them  that  journeyed  with  me. 
And  when  we  were  all  fallen  to  the  earth,  I  heard  a 
voice  saying  unto  me  in  the  Hebrew*  language,  Saul, 
Saul,  why  persecutest  thou  me?  it  is  hard  for  thee  to 
kick  against  the  goad.  And  I  said,  Who  art  thou, 
Lord?  And  the  Lord  said,  I  am  Jesus  whom  thou 
persecutest.  But  arise,  and  stand  upon  thy  feet:  for 
to  this  end  have  I  appeared  unto  thee,  to  appoint  thee 
a  minister  and  a  witness  both  of  the  things  wherein 
thou  hast  seen  me,  and  of  the  things  wherein  I  will 
appear  unto  thee ;  delivering  thee  from  the  people, 
and  from  the  Gentiles,  unto  whom  I  send  thee,  to 
open  their  eyes  that  they  may  turn  from  darkness  to 
light  and  from  the  power  of  Satan  unto  God,  that 
they  may  receive  remission  of  sins  and  an  inheritance 
among  them  that  are  sanctified  by  faith  in  me. 
Wherefore,  O  king  Agrippa,  I  was  not  disobedient 
unto  the  heavenly  vision :  but  declared  both  to  them 
of  Damascus  first,  and  at  Jerusalem,  and  throughout 
all  the  country  of  Judea,  and  also  to  the  Gentiles, 
that  they  should  repent  and  turn  to  God,  doing  works 
worthy  of  repentance. — Acts  26 :  12-20. 

And  Mills  from  the  day  when  the  bringing  of  the  world 
to  Christ  became  his  life-purpose,  was  not  disobedient  to  it. 
Is  our  obedience  so  ready  and  constant? 

149 


[XI-6]         CHRISTIAN  STANDARDS  IN  LIFE 

6.  But  how  can  a  man's  influence  reach  so  far? 

Surely  not  in  the  pursuit  of  a  thousand  trivial  purposes! 

Not  that  I  have  already  obtained,  or  am  already 
made  perfect :  but  I  press  on,  if  so  be  that  I  may 
lay  hold  on  that  for  w^hich  also  I  was  laid  hold  on 
by  Christ  Jesus.  Brethren,  I  count  not  myself  yet  to 
have  laid  hold:  but  one  thing  I  do,  forgetting  the 
things  which  are  behind,  and  stretching  forward  to 
the  things  which  are  before,  I  press  on  toward  the 
goal  unto  the  prize  of  the  high  calling  of  God  in 
Christ  Jesus.  Let  us  therefore,  as  many  as  are 
perfect,  be  thus  minded :  and  if  in  anything  ye  are 
otherwise  minded,  this  also  shall  God  reveal  unto 
you :  only,  whereunto  we  have  attained,  by  the  same 
rule  let  us  walk. — Phil.  3 :  12-16. 

Few  men  have  frittered  so  little  time,  have  concentrated 
so  continuously,  as  Samuel  J.  Mills. 

Can  zve  say  with  any  conviction,  "This  one  thing  I  do"? 

7.  What  chance  has  average  ability  to  achieve  greatness? 

The  great  purposes  which  are  worthy  enough  to  command 
a  man's  entire  life  are  too  vast  to  be  attained  by  the  largest 
human  abilities.  Mills  was  an  average  man;  but  having 
aimed  at  great  things,  he  appropriated  the  higher  resources 
that  would  bring  them  within   reach. 

The  people  that  know  their  God  shall  be  strong, 
and  do  exploits. — Dan.  11:32. 

I  can  do  all  things  through  Christ  who  strength- 
eneth  me. — ?hil.  4 :  13. 

"We  can  do  it  if  we  will."    Can  we?    Do  we  will? 

Study  for  the  Week 

I 

A  young  man  of  sallow  complexion,  delicate  health,  and 
almost    unattractive    presence,    of    limited    means    and    quite 

150 


OBEDIENCE   TO  A   PURPOSE  [XI-s] 

moderate  abilities,  without  great  literary  or  speaking  gifts, 
diverted  from  the  career  for  which  he  longed,  and  laying 
down  his  life  at  thirty-five — so  Samuel  J.  Mills  might  justly 
be  described.  By  another  equally  true  description  he  might 
be  written  down  as  one  of  the  most  influential  men  that 
America  has  produced,  a  phenomenon  of  achieving  power. 

How  are  these  two  characterizations  to  be  reconciled? 
They  are  reconciled  by  the  fact  that  he  early  accepted  a 
great  commanding  purpose  for  his  life  and  forever  after- 
wards was  obedient  to  it.  Handicapped,  obstructed,  he  held 
on  heroically,  and  made  everything  count  for  the  realization 
of  his  life  aim.  This  purpose  was  formed  shortly  after  his 
definite  commitment  to  God,  when  he  was  working  on  a 
farm  in  Massachusetts,  While  meditating  on  the  reality  and 
satisfying  qualities  of  the  new  life  into  which  he  had  entered, 
it  was  borne  in  upon  him  that  the  Christian  faith  is  a  universal 
faith,  that  the  reign  of  Christianity  will  one  day  be  dominant 
over  all  nations  and  that  every  Christian  disciple  is  called 
upon  to  participate  in  his  Lord's  program  for  the  world.  He 
determined  to  live  for  that  ideal  of  an  evangelized  and 
redeemed  world  and  to  put  all  his  energies  for  all  his  life 
into  its  realization. 

II 

Mills  soon  had  a  chance  to  share  his  purpose.  He  entered 
the  class  of  1809  at  Williams  College  when  he  was  twenty- 
three  years  old.  Although  ngt  particularly  gifted,  he  had  a 
strong  influence  over  men,  and  his  powers  of  leadership  began 
to  appear  within  a  few  weeks  after  his  arrival.  Naturally  he 
threw  himself  with  eagerness  into  the  religious  activities  of 
the  college.  It  was  then  experiencing  a  revival,  and  groups 
of  students  might  often  be  seen  in  prayer  in  quiet  places 
outdoors.  One  August  afternoon.  Mills  with  two  other 
Freshmen  and  two  Sophomores  met  in  a  grove  of  maples. 
Their  conversation  turned  on  the  work  of  the  East  India 
Company  and  the  needs  of  India.  Here  was  Mills'  oppor- 
tunity to  communicate  his  ideal.    He  painted  it  in  bold  strokes 

151 


[XI-s]         CHRISTIAN  STANDARDS  IN  LIFE 

and  strong  colors — the  evangelizing  of  the  entire  non-Christian 
world !  What  a  glorious  idea  it  was !  But  could  so  daring 
and  hopeless  a  project  claim  the  lives  of  sober  thinking 
men?  "We  can  do  it  if  we  will,"  cried  Mills.  And  finally 
the  contagion  of  his  enthusiasm  and  confidence  took  hold  of 
his  fellow-students.  As  rain  was  coming  on,  they  went  for 
shelter  under  a  haystack  and  in  prayer  they  dedicated  them- 
selves to  the  work  of  spreading  the  Gospel  through  the 
non-Christian  world.  That  this  impromptu  haystack  meeting 
marked  the  beginning  of  the  American  foreign  missionary 
enterprise  is  registered  in  marble  on  the  monument  that  has 
been  erected  upon  the  exact  site,  "The  birthplace  of  American 
missions."  True  this  is,  and  yet  for  the  real  origin  must 
we  not  go  four  years  farther  back  to  a  Massachusetts  farm 
where,  in  the  solitude  of  his  own  heart,  Samuel  J.  Mills 
thought  to  a  conclusion  the  question  of  his  duty  to  God 
and  to  mankind  and  took  the  whole  world  into  the  purposes 
of  his  life?  By  the  end  of  his  freshman  year  this  life- 
purpose  had  become  more  clear  and  commanding  than  ever 
and  had  been  shared  with  other  men. 

Ill 

He  could  do  it  and  he  would.  During  the  remainder  of 
his  course  at  Williams,  Mills  worked  untiringly  to  give  effect 
to  his  life-purpose.  He  read  all  he  could  lay  hands  on  that 
would  give  information  about  non-Christian  countries.  He 
prayed  much  by  himself  and  with  others  and  strove  to  win 
his  fellow-students  to  a  world  conception  of  Christianity  and 
Christian  discipleship.  He  would  sit  for  hours  with  a  man 
in  his  room  or  would  go  on  a  long  tramp  with  him  trying  to 
break  down  selfishness  and  provincialism  and  enlist  a  new 
recruit  for  the  foreign  missionary  undertaking.  Gradually 
his  sympathy  and  tactfulness  and  fine  broad  tolerance,  and 
above  all  his  infectious  enthusiasm,  won  the  day  with  several 
students  of  ability.  But  Mills  realized  that  some  sort  of 
organization   was   needed   to   give   stability   and   cooperative 

152 


OBEDIENCE   TO  A   PURPOSE  [XI-s] 

value  to  the  purposes  of  the  individual  recruits.  Accordingly, 
early  in  his  senior  year  he  formed  a  society  called  the 
"Society  of  Brethren."  Its  aim  was  not  to  arouse  missionary 
interest  nor  to  send  out  missionaries,  but,  according  to 
Article  II  of  the  constitution, 

The  object  of  this  Society  shall  be  to  effect  in  the  persons 
of  its  members  a  mission,  or  missions,  to  the  heathen. 

It  was  the  forerunner  of  the  modern  Student  Volunteer 
Band.     Part  of  Article  V  reads, 

No  person  shall  be  admitted  who  is  under  any  engagement 
of  any  kind  which  shall  be  incompatible  with  going  on  a 
mission  to  the  heathen. 

The  transactions,  and  even  the  existence  of  the  Society 
were  kept  a  profound  secret  and  the  minutes  were  written 
in  cipher.  But  the  members  were  openly  active  in  the 
extreme.  They  republished  and  circulated  strong  missionary 
sermons.  They  spoke  man  to  man  with. their  fellow  students. 
They  laid  siege  to  prominent  ministers,  even  spending  vaca- 
tions with  them  in  the  effort  to  enlist  their  sympathy  and 
cooperation.  They  sought  by  visits  to  Yale,  Union,  Dart- 
mouth, and  other  colleges  to  spread  the  sentiment  more 
widely.     And  they  anchored  their  movement  in  prayer. 

And  it  came  to  pass  that,  as  the  Society  of  Jesus  at  the 
University  of  Paris,  formed  by  Loyola,  Xavier,  and  five  other 
students,  had  developed  into  the  mighty  Jesuit  order,  and  as 
the  small  Holy  Club  at  Oxford,  founded  by  the  Wesley 
brothers,  had  led  to  the  great  revival  movement  of  the 
i8th  Century  and  the  founding  of  the  Methodist  Church, 
this  Society  of  Brethren  at  Williams  College  expanded  into 
one  of  the  greatest  organized  undertakings  in  the  history 
of  Christianity. 

The  scene  now  shifts  to  Andover  Theological  Seminary. 
The  strongest  members  of  the  Brethren,  including  Mills, 
went  there  to  pursue  their  divinity  studies.  They  took  with 
them  the  records  of  the  Society  and  continued  its  meetings 

153 


^[XI-s]         CHRISTIAN  STANDARDS  IN  LIFE 

and  work.  They  found  a  few  other  men  of  missionary  mind, 
among  them  Samuel  Nott,  a  graduate  of  Union,  and  Samuel 
Newell,  a  Harvard  man.  Adoniram  Judson,  from  Brown, 
was  also  studying  there  and  before  long  he  too  dedicated 
himself  to  foreign  missionary  service.  Mills  then  modestly 
deferred  to  him  in  the  leadership  of  the  Society.  The 
Brethren  also  organized  a  missionary  society  known  as  the 
Society  of  Inquiry  open  to  all  the  students  in  the  Seminary. 
It  soon  became  necessary  for  the  Brethren  to  take  some 
definite  action  if  they  were  to  reach  the  mission  field.  There 
was  little  missionary  sentiment  in  the  churches,  and  the  few 
contributions  that  were  made  were  being  given  to  the  English 
missionary  societies.  They  decided,  therefore,  to  offer  them- 
selves to  the  London  Missionary  Society,  and  sent  a  letter 
of  inquiry.  But  meantime  ministers  and  laymen  of  the 
Congregational  Church  were  rising  to  the  situation.  And 
when,  before  a  reply  came  from  England,  a  memorial,  signed 
by  Judson,  Nott,  Mills,  and  Newell,  offering  themselves  as 
missionary  candidates,  was  presented  to  the  General  Asso- 
ciation, it  was  regarded  as  a  divine  summons  to  American 
Christians.  Then  and  there,  on  June  27,  1810,  the  American 
Board  of  Commissioners  for  Foreign  Missions  was  formed, 
the  first  foreign  missionary  society  in  North  America.  It 
was  an  epoch-making  day  in  church  history.  Eighteen 
months  later  the  Board  decided  to  ordain  five  of  the  Brethren 
as  its  first  missionaries.  Strange  as  it  may  seem.  Mills  was 
not  among  the  number.  His  associates  thought  that  with  his 
organizing  ability  and  power  to  communicate  his  enthusiasm 
he  should  stay  behind  and  develop  a  missionary  sentiment 
in  the  churches.  Besides,  with  characteristic  modesty.  Mills 
felt  that  for  so  important  a  work  others  were  better  fitted 
than  he,  and  since  the  number  must  be  limited  he  was  willing 
to  stand  aside.  It  was  a  bitter  disappointment  to  him  that 
he  could  not  go  to  the  mission  field ;  but  even  now  he  had 
done  much  to  convert  his  ideal  into  actuality.  What  an 
achievement  already — to  have  led  several  strong  students 
into  a  purpose  akin  to  his  own  and  to  have  furnished  "the 

154 


OBEDIENCE   TO  A  PURPOSE  [XI-s] 

impulse,  impetus,  and  initiative"  for  the  organization  of  the 
American  Board !  But  Mills  did  not  rest  on  his  oars  for  a 
moment.  He  seized  every  opportunity  as  it  came  that  might 
be  used  for  the  realization  of  the  great  aim  of  his  life. 

One  such  opportunity  came  to  him  just  after  he  was 
graduated  from  Williams.  While  visiting  Yale  in  an  effort 
to  develop  missionary  interest  there,  he  had  become  interested 
in  Obookiah,  an  orphan  youth  from  the  Sandwich  Islands. 
He  took  him  to  his  own  home  and  to  Andover,  and  had  him 
received  into  Morris  Academy  in  Litchfield,  Connecticut, 
where  he  himself  had  studied.  Soon  afterward  the  American 
Board  was  persuaded  to  establish  a  "Foreign  Missionary 
School"  in  Cornwall,  Connecticut,  in  which  Obookiah  and 
four  other  Hawaiians  might  be  educated.  The  school  soon 
had  students  from  nine  different  races  preparing  for  Chris- 
tian work  among  their  own  people.  Obookiah  died  in  America, 
but  others  carried  the  Gospel  to  his  islands.  It  was  during  a 
visit  to  the  School  that  Hiram  Bingham  decided  to  pioneer 
a  mission  to  Hawaii;  and  the  work  which  he  began  kas 
furnished  one  of  the  most  striking  chapters  in  missionary 
history.  And  now  see  yet  another  development.  One  of  the 
missionaries  sent  to  Hawaii  was  the  father  of  Samuel  C. 
Armstrong,  who,  after  studying  at.  Williams,  gave  himself 
to  the  welfare  of  the  colored  people  in  America,  and  became 
world  famous  as  General  Armstrong,  leader  of  colored  troops, 
and  afterwards,  greater  in  peace  than  in  war,  as  the  founder 
of  Hampton  Institute.  This  Institute  in  turn  made  possible 
Booker  T.  Washington  and  Tuskegee.  Humanly  speaking, 
all  this  happened  because  a  young  man  with  a  passion  for 
world  evangelization  had  seen  a  homeless  Hawaiian  in  New 
Haven  and  his  heart  had  flamed  with  a  desire  to  have  him 
go  back  to  give  the  Gospel  to  the  Sandwich  Islands. 

IV 

Mills  was  missionary  to  the  core.  Since  he  could  not 
"effect  in  his  person  a  mission  to  the  heathen"  he  gave  him- 

155 


[XI-s]         CHRISTIAN  STANDARDS  IN  LIFE 

self  with  an  intense  ardor  to  effect  missions  to  the  heathen 
in  the  persons  of  others  and  also  to  effect  in  his  own 
person  a  mission  to  the  neglected  in  his  own  land,  thus  set- 
ting an  example  for  all  ''detained  Volunteers."  It  was  all 
a  part  of  his  world  purpose.  In  July  of  1812  we  find  him  on 
horseback  traveling  westward  as  a  representative  of  the 
Connecticut  and  Massachusetts  Missionary  Societies.  Until 
that  time  Home  Missionary  work  had  been  confined  to  New 
York,  Vermont,  and  Ohio.  Mills  and  a  companion  were  now 
appointed  to  travel  through  the  sparsely-settled  West  and 
Southwest  gathering  information  as  a  basis  for  missionary 
work  in  those  regions.  In  towns  and  country  settlements 
alike  they  found  a  forgotten  Sabbath,  loose  morals,  and  dense 
spiritual  ignorance.  Wherever  they  went  they  preached,  and 
a  novel  experience  a  religious  service  was  to  many  of  the 
places  they  visited.  In  a  number  of  centers  they  organized 
Bible  Societies,  for  these  missionaries  believed  that  even 
before  Christian  ministers  could  be  sent  out  the  frontier 
districts  should  be  sown  with  copies  of  the  Word  of  God. 
In  this  work  Mills  enlisted  the  help  of  men  of  all  sorts, 
military  and  civilian.  Even  Roman  Catholic  priests  in  New 
Orleans  cooperated.  In  a  postscript  to  a  letter  from  Georgia, 
Mills  admitted  that  it  h^d  been  "a  long,  fatiguing  journey." 
He  had  included  the  word  "tiresome,"  but  had  afterwards 
crossed  it  out. 

He  had  traveled  3,000  miles  and  had  gone  into  nearly  every 
State  and  territory  in  the  Union.  He  had  faced  many 
dangers  and  had  undergone  great  hardships,  "swimming  his 
horse  across  creeks,  sleeping  on  the  deck  of  a  flatboat,  tramp- 
ing through  nearly  impenetrable  canebrakes  and  swamps." 
His  frail  constitution  must  have  been  demanding  a  rest;  but 
Mills  immediately  plunged  into  work  again,  energetic  as  ever. 
We  find  him  preparing  his  report,  urging  on  societies  to 
larger  service,  distributing  5,000  French  Testaments  on  a 
wide  tour,  and  acting  as  a  kind  of  chaplain  to  the  soldiers  in 
the  South.  His  report  presses  the  claims  of  destitutes  in 
America  with  tremendous  insistence. 

156 


OBEDIENCE   TO  A   PURPOSE  [XI-s] 

From  these  two  tours  great  results  issued.  His  published 
data  stirred  religious  bodies  to  new  action.  "The  Protestant 
invasion  and  occupation  of  the  Louisiana  Purchase  at  this 
time  was  largely  due  to  Samuel  J.  Mills." 

A  special  result  of  these  tours,  which  must  be  mentioned 
because  of  its  great  historical  importance,  was  the  organiza- 
tion of  the  American  Bible  Society,  in  1816.  The  scattered 
societies,  many  of  which  he  had  helped  to  organize,  needed 
some  general  direction ;  the  brightest  dreams  of  the  founders 
of  this  great  national  movement  have  been  truly  fulfilled. 

Mills,  though  only  thirty-three  years  of  age,  was  now  widely 
known  throughout  the  country  and  "had  become  a  national 
figure  in  the  councils  of  the  churches."  And  all  along  the 
way  he  had  been  setting  forces  in  motion  which  under  God 
were  destined  to  change  the  course  of  many  nations. 

But  what  had  become  of  Mills'  foreign  missionary  purpose 
all  this  time?  If  anything,  it  was  growing  stronger  than 
ever.  It  was  because  of  it  that  he  had  proven  himself  a 
pioneer,  a  statesman,  and  an  apostle  of  home  missions.  Not 
for  a  day  had  he  forgotten  those  lands  that  were  waiting 
for  the  Gospel  of  the  Kingdom  of  God;  and  the  vision  of 
their  redemption  still  held  his  obedience.  But  wherever 
there  was  a  need,  he  found  himself  a  debtor.  For  him  the 
field  was  the  world;  and  the  world  embraced  the  next  street 
and  the  next  state,  as  well  as  the  next  continent.  For  ex- 
ample, it  was  his  knowledge  of  a  great  need  that  drew  him 
to  New  York  City,  where  for  a  time  he  was  a  Bible  colporteur 
and  city  missionary.  In  this  work  all  his  splendid  qualities 
shone  forth — his  humility,  unselfishness,  human  sympathy, 
tact,  energy,  and  spiritual  intensity.  His  health  was  under- 
mined, but  he  did  not  spare  himself.  He  was  especially  con- 
cerned for  the  many  seamen  in  the  port  of  New  York, 
worked  among  them  and  brought  about  the  organization  of 
the  Marine  Bible  Society.  So  it  was  part  of  Mills*  pursuit 
of  his  world-purpose  that  he  should  spend  himself  in  reliev- 
ing the  deepest  needs  of  his  own  nation. 
And  all  the  while  he  thought  longingly  of  the  work  abroad 

157 


[XI-s]         CHRISTIAN  STANDARDS  IN  LIFE 

to  which  he  had  consecrated  his  life.  During  the  two  years 
before  he  came  to  New  York  City  he  had  tried  to  bring  men, 
and  especially  men  of  influence,  to  lift  up  their  eyes  and  look 
on  those  distant  fields.  Often  he  hoped  he  might  be  sent 
as  a  missionary  to  the  Sandwich  Islands.  Since  his  second 
home  missionary  tour  he  had  prayed  and  thought  and  con- 
sulted over  a  plan  to  go  to  South  America  on  an  errand  of 
missionary  exploration.  In  a  letter  to  a  friend,  he  wrote :  "I 
confess  I  am  tired  of  delays.  I  have  for  some  time  past 
been  endeavoring  to  pass  the  limits  of  these  states  and  terri- 
tories. I  am  'pestered  in  this  pin-hole'  here."  That  year  the 
American  Board  began  its  inquiries  into  conditions  in  South 
America,  but  took  no  immediate  action.  Mills  therefore 
turned  to  the  Presbyterian  Church,  which  then  had  no 
foreign  missionary  society.  He  worked  out  a  plan  for  a 
united  society  in  which  the  Presbyterian,  Dutch  Reformed, 
and  Associate  Reformed  Churches  should  join  forces.  In- 
fluential men  were  interested  and  the  plan  was  carried  into 
eff^ect,  the  new  society  being  called  "The  United  Foreign 
Missionary  Society."  It  was  said  then  that  "next  to  the 
Spirit  of  God  on  his  heart,  Mr.  Mills  was  'the  prime  mover 
in  this  business.' "  And  still  in  the  Divine  Providence  he 
was  kept  back  from  the  foreign  mission  field. 

Ever  since  he  had  prayed  that  day  by  the  haystack,  in  all 
his  dreams  and  labors  for  the  world's  salvation,  the  country 
that  most  appealed  to  him  was  Africa.  Back  at  Williams  he 
had  found  himself  praying  with  special  desire  for  the  "poor 
African."  Since  he  could  not  be  a  foreign  missionary  to 
them  on  their  native  soil,  he  seized  the  opportunity  when  it 
came  to  help  them  in  his  own  land,  and  he  did  help  them. 
His  wise  and  kindly  efforts  to  remove  evils  and  provide 
advantages  for  education  are  to  be  ranked  among  the  great 
achievements  of  this  productive  life. 

While  a  city  missionary  in  New  York,  Mills  heard  of  the 
proposal  in  Washington  to  form  a  Colonization  Society.  In 
this  he  saw  a  possible  solution  of  part  at  least  of  the  negro 
problem.     He  went  to  Washington  and  threw  himself   into 

158 


OBEDIENCE  TO  A  PURPOSE  [XI-s] 

the  movement.  Following  the  organization  of  the  Society, 
it  fell  to  him  to  prepare  a  document  setting  forth  its  objects 
and  making  an  appeal  to  Congress  to  accept  its  proposals. 
This  done,  he  organized  auxiliary  societies  in  different  Eastern 
cities  and  otherwise  strengthened  the  movement.  He  then 
volunteered  "for  the  difficult  and  dangerous  duty  of  visiting 
Africa  as  their  agent  and  finding  a  suitable  site  on  the  West 
Coast  for  thfe  proposed  colony."  With  Professor  Ebenezer 
Burgess,  of  the  University  of  Vermont,  he  went  to  Africa 
by  way  of  England,  where  Wilberforce  and  others  gave 
them  every  encouragement.  After  visiting  the  English  colony 
at  Sierra  Leone,  the  investigators  traveled  south,  examining 
several  islands  and  tracts  on  the  mainland  and  interviewing 
African  potentates.  Their  report  to  the  Colonization  Society 
stated  that  a  suitable  site  might  be  secured,  and  five  years 
later  the  first  colony  landed  on  the  island  of  Sherbro.  Twenty- 
five  years  after  the  first  occupation  Liberia  became  an 
independent  nation. 

But  Mills  was  not  to  present  the  report  in  person.  The 
exactions  of  his  strenuous  undertakings  had  made  large  in- 
roads on  his  limited  strength,  tuberculosis  had  been  wearing 
him  down  for  several  months;  and  he  died  at  sea  on  June  15, 
1818.  The  "well  done"  came  to  him  not  from  a  Society  that 
had  sent  him  on  a  tour  of  investigation,  but  from  the  One 
whose  imperial  commissions  he  had  carried  in  humility  and 
obeyed  with  faithfulness  ever  since  he  had  given  Him  the 
sovereignty  of  his  life. 

VI 

The  career  of  this  young  crusader  brims  with  inspiration. 
But  the  most  inspiring  thing  in  it  is  the  revelation  of  a  man 
of  moderate  abilities  becoming  a  man  of  phenomenal  achieve- 
ments because  he  was  swayed  by  the  passion  of  a  great 
loyalty.  The  civilization  of  his  own  land  owes  more  to  him 
than  can  be  computed,  and  some  of  the  many  movements 
that  trace  their  origin  to  him  are  among  the  mightiest  forces 

159 


[XI-s]         CHRISTIAN  STANDARDS  IN  LIFE 

operating  to-day  for  the  well-being  of  nations.  How  different 
it  would  have  been  if  he  had  ignored  or  forgotten  his  vision ! 
But  he  had  a  single  eye  and  he  ran  a  straight  course.  He 
did  not  marry,  both  because  he  feared  he  would  embarrass 
the  pursuit  of  a  rigorous  and  dangerous  and  perhaps  itinerant 
career,  and  because  he  hesitated  to  involve  another  in  the 
extreme  sacrifices  which  probably  lay  before  him.  Personal 
considerations  were  always  set  aside  as  trivialities.  Never 
for  a  day  did  he  lose  sight  of  the  great  ideal  for  humanity 
which  had  swung  before  his  eyes  that  day  as  he  was  working 
on  the  farm.  He  would  rather  suffer  for  it  than  be  at  ease 
in  any  other;  he  would  rather  die  for  it  than  live  for  any 
other.  And  thus  Samuel  J.  Mills,  instead  of  being  comfort- 
ably mediocre,  became  magnificently  great. 

The  fires  from  some  lives  are  pyrotechnic,  but  the  fires 
kindled  by  others  burn  on.  Archbishop  Cranmer  knew  it. 
"Play  the  man,  Master  Ridley,"  he  cried  as  the  flames  burst 
high  around  them.  "We  shall  this  day  light  such  a  candle, 
by  God's  grace,  in  England  as  I  trust  shall  never  be  put  out." 
President  Mark  Hopkins,  of  Williams,  in  speaking  of  Mills 
said,  "Luther  and  Bacon  and  Newton  and  Carey  and  Samuel 
J.  Mills  set  fires;  and  he  that  does  that  does  something  for 
the  race  even  though  that  which  kindled  the  blaze  is  lost  in 
the  brightness  and  glow  of  the  succeeding  conflagration." 

"We  can  do  it  if  we  will."  For  every  man  there  is  the 
same  chance  that  came  to  Mills.  "Though  you  and  I  are 
very  little  beings,"  he  once  wrote  to  a  friend,  "we  must  not 
rest  satisfied  till  we  have  made  our  influence  extend  to  the 
remotest  corner  of  this  ruined  world."  The  key  to  his  potency 
and  efficiency  was  his  obedience  to  a  divine  vision.  Through 
this  lens  all  the  powers  of  his  life  found  their  focus  and 
produced  their  heat  and  set  their  fires.  He  could  say,  as 
another  Christian  leader  of  imperial  mind  had  said  to  King 
Agrippa,  "I  was  not  disobedient  to  the  heavenly  vision." 

For  further  reading — Thomas  C.  Richards:  "Samuel  J. 
Mills." 

160 


OBEDIENCE   TO  A   PURPOSE  [XI-s] 

Suggestions  for  Thought  and  Discussion 

What  relation  has  the  purpose  of  a  life  to  its  achievements f 

When  can  a  man  be  said  to  count  for  something? 
How  far  does  purpose  and  how  far  does  ability  determine 
the  achievements? 

Is  a  life  purpose  necessary  to  happiness? 

What  difference  in  Mills'  life  did  his  purpose  makef 

How  would  you  state  Mills'  life  purpose? 

What  difference  would  a  trivial  purpose  have  made  in  the 
intensity  of  his  life? 

Suppose  Mills'  horizon  had  been  limited  by  New  England, 
what  diflference  would  it  have  made  in  his  Hfe  plans? 

How  is  a  life  purpose  carried  out? 

Could  Mills  have  carried  out  his  purpose  single-handed? 

Does  inability  to  carry  out  a  purpose,  as  originally  framed, 
mean  a  change  of  purpose? 

How  far  is  it  necessary  today  to  follow  Mills'  example 
and  form  new  organizations  to  carry  out  life  purposes? 

What  is  more  essential — the  missionary  or  the  missionary 
organization  ? 

How  is  a  life  purpose  formed? 

Compare  Mills'  call  to  be  a  missionary  with  that  of  Paul. 
Should  a  student  today  be  looking  for  a  call  like  Paul's  or 
Mills'? 

Have  we  yet  seized  upon  a  purpose  big  enough  to  fully 
satisfy  us? 

Additional  Topics  for  Investigation  and  Report 

Describe  the  movement  in  Oxford  begun  by  the  Wesleys. 

Write  a  five-minute  sketch  of  the  American  Board  indicat- 
ing its  fields  of  work  and  the  volume  of  its  activities 
(mention  in  particular  the  wonderful  record  of  the  Hawaii 
Mission). 

Give  an  account  of  the  American  Bible  Society. 
i6i 


CHAPTER  XII 

JOY  AND   FREEDOM   IN   RELIGION 

PHILLIPS  BROOKS 
Daily  Readings 

In  the  service  of  the  Kingdom  of  God  there  is  place  for 
all  man's  powers  of  heart  and  mind  and  will.  No  one  need 
fear  that  any  real  gift  will  be  wasted  in  this  enterprise.  But 
a  variety  of  powers  need  control.  Christian  self-control  is 
not  repression,  but  the  harmonizing  and  directing  of  all  the 
forces  of  Hfe  in  the  service  of  God  and  man. 

I.  Why  do  many  brilliant  men  and  women  fail  to  fulfil 
the  promise  of  their  special  powers f 

From  the  days  when  Jeremiah  rebuked  his  young  scribe 
Baruch, 

And    seekest  thou  great  things    for   thyself?    seek 
them    not. — Jer.   45  :  5, 

to  the  day  when  Paul  wrote  to  his  friends  at  Philippi  that 
they  should  have  the  mind  of  Christ, 

Not  looking  each  of  you  to  his  own  things,  but  each 
of  you  also  to  the  things  of  others. — Phil.  2 : 4, 

and  even  down  to  the  day  when  Phillips  Brooks  wrote: 
"What  shall  we  make  of  some  man  rich  in  attainment  and 
in  generous  desire,  well-educated,  well-behaved,  who  has 
trained  himself  to  be  a  light  and  help  to  other  men,  and 
who,  now  that  his  training  is  complete,  stands  in  the  midst 
of  his  fellow-men  completely  dark  and  helpless?  .  .  .  These 
men  are  unlighted  candles ;  they  are  the  spirit  of  man,  elabor- 

162 


JOY  AND  FREEDOM  IN  RELIGION      [XII-2] 

ated,   cultivated,   finished  to  its   very  finest,   but  lacking  the 
last  touch  of  God"    (Phillips  Brooks:   "Sermons") — through 
all   the   ages,    men   and   women   have   hoarded   their   special 
powers  for  their  own  aggrandizement. 
Do  they  ever  really  succeed  f 

2.    How  does  a  great  purpose  affect  the  use  of  our  powers? 

Therefore  I  say  unto  you.  Be  not  anxious  for  your 
life,  what  ye  shall  eat,  or  what  ye  shall  drink ;  nor 
yet  for  your  body,  what  ye  shall  put  on.  Is  not  the 
life  more  than  the  food,  and  the  body  than  the  rai- 
ment? Behold  the  birds  of  the  heaven,  that  they  sow 
not,  neither  do  they  reap,  nor  gather  into  barns;  and 
your  heavenly  Father  feedeth  them.  Are  not  ye  of 
much  more  value  than  they?  And  which  of  j'-ou  by 
being  anxious  can  add  one  cubit  unto  the  measure 
of  his  life?  And  why  are  ye  anxious  concerning 
raiment?  Consider  the  lilies  of  the  field,  how  they 
grow ;  they  toil  not,  neither  do  they  spin  :  yet  I  say 
unto  you,  that  even  .Solomon  in  all  his  glory  was  not 
arrayed  like  one  of  these.  But  if  God  doth  so  clothe 
the  grass  of  the  field,  which  today  is,  and  tomorrow 
is  cast  into  the  oven,  shall  he  not  much  more  clothe 
you,  O  ye  of  little  faith?  Be  not  therefore  anxious, 
saying.  What  shall  we  eat?  or,  What  shall  we  drink? 
or,  Wherewithal  shall  we  be  clothed?  For  after  all 
these  things  do  the  Gentiles  seek;  for  your  heavenly 
Father  knoweth  that  ye  have  need  of  all  these  things. 
But  seek  ye  first  his  kingdom,  and  his  righteousness; 
and  all  these  things  shall  be  added  unto  you. — Matt. 
6 :  25-33. 

"The  onward  reach,  the  struggle  to  an  apprehended  pur- 
pose, the  straight,  clear  line  right  from  His  own  self-knowl- 
edge to  His  work,  was  perfect  in  the  Lord.  'For  this  cause 
was  I  born,'  He  cried.  His  life  pierced  like  an  arrow  through 
the  cloud  of  aimless  lives,  never  for  a  moment  losing  its 
direction,  hurrying  on  with  a  haste  and  assurance  which  were 
divine"  (Phillips  Brooks:  "Sermons"). 

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[XII-3]       CHRISTIAN  STANDARDS  IN  LIFE 
Can  a  man  successfully  follow  two  or  three  purposes? 

•  3.    Is  there  any  single  motive  in  life  sufEcient  to  determine 
our  self-sacrifices  and  our  search  for  self -development? 

The  people  wait  always  for  those  whose  first  aim  is  to 
serve.  In  such  servants  of  men  self-development  is  directed 
to  produce  more  power  for  more  service,  and  sacrifice  is 
taken  as  a  part  of  the  day's  work.  These  are  not  forever 
balancing  self-cultivation  over  against  self-f  orgetfulness ; 
they  are  thinking  of  them  as  two  means  to  the  same  end. 

Jesus  places  a  fine  emphasis  on  this  higher  conception : 

And  for  their  sakes  I  sanctify  myself,  that  they 
themselves  also  may  be  sanctified  in  truth. — John 
17:19. 

He  that  Is  a  hireling,  and  not  a  shepherd,  whose 
own  the  sheep  are  not,  beholdeth  the  wolf  coming, 
and  leaveth  the  sheep,  and  fleeth,  and  the  wolf 
snatcheth  them,  and  scattereth  them:  he  fleeth  be- 
cause he  is  a  hireling,  and  careth  not  for  the  sheep. 
I  am  the  good  shepherd;  and  I  know  mine  own,  and 
mine  own  know  me,  even  as  the  Father  knoweth  me, 
and  I  know  the  Father ;  and  I  lay  down  my  life  for 
the  sheep. — John   10 :  12-15. 

"'For  their  sakes  I  sanctify  myself,*  said  Jesus;  and  He 
hardly  ever  said  words  more  wonderful  than  those.  There 
was  the  power  by  which  He  was  holy;  the  world  was  to  be 
made  holy  to  be  sanctified  through  Him"  (PhilHps  Brooks: 
"Sermons"). 

Do  we  know  from  experience  what  Phillips  Brooks  meant? 

4.  How  did  Jesus  propose  to  curb  the  wrong  use  of 
powers? 

"Jesus  did  not  spend  His  life  in  trying  not  to  do  wrong. 
He  was  too  full  of  the  earnest  love  and  longing  to  do  right — 
to  do  His  Father's  will. 

164 


JOY  AND  FREEDOM  IN  RELIGION      [XII-5] 

"And  so  we  see,  by  contrast,  how  many  of  our  attempts  at 
purity  fail  by  their  negativeness.  ...  I  do  think  that  we 
break  almost  all  our  resolutions  not  to  do  wrong,  while 
we  keep  a  large  proportion  of  our  resolutions  that  we  will 
do  what  is  right.  Habit,  which  is  the  power  by  which  evil 
rules  us,  is  only  strong  in  a  vacant  life.  It  is  the  empty,  swept, 
and  garnished  house  to  which  the  devils  came  back  to  hold 
still  higher  revel"   (PhilHps  Brooks:  "Sermons"). 

But  the  unclean  spirit,  when  he  is  gone  out  of  the 
man,  passeth  through  waterless  places,  seeking  rest, 
and  findeth  it  not.  Then  he  saith,  I  will  return  into 
my  house  whence  I  came  out ;  and  when  he  is  come, 
he  findeth  it  empty,  swept,  and  garnished.  Then 
goeth  he,  and  taketh  with  himself  seven  other  spirits 
more  evil  than  himself,  and  they  enter  in  and  dwell 
there :  and  the  last  state  of  that  man  becometh  worse 
than  the  first— Matt.  12:43-45. 

The  vigorous  and  fearless  apostle  to  the  Gentiles  suggests 
a  little  different  application  of  the  same  idea  in  his  clear, 
sharp  saying:  "Do  not  let  evil  get  the  better  of  you;  get  the 
better  of  evil  by  doing  good"   (Rom.  J2 :  21 — Moffatt). 

Is  it  ever  possible  merely  to  put  the  evil  out  of  one's  life? 

5.     What  is  the  distinction  between  sacred  and  secular? 

The  distinction  may  be  said  to  be  practically  unknown  in 
the  New  Testament.  Paul  never  seems  to  feel  it ;  we  find  him 
urging  men,  "Whatever  you  say  or  do,  let  everything  be  done 
in  dependence  on  the  Lord  Jesus,  giving  thanks  in  his  name 
to  God  the  Father"  (Col.  3:17 — Moffatt).  Jesus  moved 
through  the  world  constantly  in  the  presence  of  the  Father 
to  whom  it  all  belonged. 

"Under  one  fatherhood  the  whole  world  becomes  sacred. 

"If  I  feel  God  behind  all  existence,  then  there  is  a  great 
identity  established  between  all  the  utterances  of  Him 
throughout  the  length  and  breadth  of  human  life"  (Phillips 
Brooks:   "Sermons"). 

165 


[XII-6]       CHRISTIAN  STANDARDS  IN  LIFE 
Why  do  we  try  to  divide  life  up  into  compartments? 

6.  Why  are  zve  not  born  with  character  fully  developed? 

But  we  behold  him  who  hath  been  made  a  little 
lower  than  the  angels,  even  Jesus,  because  of  the  suf- 
fering of  death  crowned  with  glory  and  honor,  that 
by  the  grace  of  God  he  should  taste  of  death  for 
every  man.  For  it  became  him,  for  whom  are  all 
things,  and  through  whom  are  all  things,  in  bringing 
many  sons  unto  glory,  to  make  the  author  of  their 
salvation  perfect  through  sufferings. — Heb.  2 : 9,   10. 

Even  the  Son  of  God  had  to  achieve  His  human  character. 

Is  it  fair  that  there  should  he  so  much  suffering  in  the 
world? 

7.  How  best  can  man  develop  a  sense  of  balance  and 
proportion  in  his  own  life? 

The  balance  of  our  powers  is  their  arrangement.  Only  in 
a  living  personality  can  we  see  perfect  balance.  Therefore, 
we  shall  always  find  that,  like  so  many  other  qualities  of  high 
worth,  it  is  more  easily  caught  than  learned.  The  study  and 
appreciation  of  men  and  women  who  have  possessed  well- 
rounded  characters  is  the  method.  Jesus  has  peculiarly 
impressed  great  minds  of  the  past  with  the  complete  perfec- 
tion of  His  poise.  Many  who  have  failed  to  accord  Him  the 
supreme  place  have  yet  pointed  to  Him  as  the  master  of 
proportion  in  living  and  thinking. 

Beloved,  now  are  we  children  of  God,  and  it  is  not 
yet  made  manifest  what  we  shall  be.  We  know  that, 
if  he  shall  be  manifested,  we  shall  be  like  him ;  for 
we  shall  see  him  even  as  he  is.  And  every  one  that 
hath  this  hope  set  on  him  purifieth  himself,  even  as 
he  is  pure. — I  John  3:2,  3. 

Blessed  are  the  pure  in  heart :  for  they  shall  see 
God.— Matt.  5:8. 

166 


JOY  AND  FREEDOM  IN  RELIGION      [XII-s] 

"If  we  can  have  life  in  Christ  and  have  His  Hfe  in  us, 
shall  not  the  spiritual  balance  and  proportion  which  were 
His  become  ours  too?  If  He  were  really  our  Master  and 
Saviour,  could  it  be  that  we  could  get  so  eager  and  excited 
over  little  things?  If  we  were  His,  could  we  possibly  be 
wretched  over  the  losing  of  a  little  money  -that  we  did  not 
need,  or  be  exalted  at  the  sound  of  a  little  praise  which  we 
know  that  we  only  half  deserve  and  that  the  praisers  only 
half  intend?  A  moment's  disappointment,  a  moment's  grat- 
ification, and  then  the  ocean  would  be  calm  again  and  quite 
forgetful  of  the  ripple  which  disturbed  its  bosom"  (Phillips 
Brooks:  "Sermons"). 

Why  are  our  lives  so  often  quite  lacking  in  poise f  Is  this 
inevitable? 

Study  for  the  Week 

PhilHps  Brooks  was  born  December  15,  1835,  in  the  city 
of  Boston.  He  graduated  from  Harvard  College  in  1855 
and  from  the  Alexandria  Theological  Seminary  in  1859. 
From  1859  to  1862  he  was  rector  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal 
Church  of  the  Advent,  Philadelphia,  and  from  1862  to  1869 
rector  of  the  Church  of  the  Holy  Trinity  in  the  same  city. 
He  returned  to  Boston  in  1869  and  until  1891  ministered  at 
Trinity  Church.  At  that  time  he  was  elected  Bishop  of 
Massachusetts,  which  post  he  held  during  the  brief  period 
till  his  death  in  1893.  He  published  a  number  of  books  of 
sermons,  several  volumes  of  lectures  delivered  in  courses, 
and  a  volume  of  letters  of  travel.  During  his  travels  in 
England  he  preached  from  many  famous  pulpits,  notably 
Westminster  Abbey  and  the  Chapel  Royal. 


I 

PhilHps  Brooks  passed  through  the  terrible  test  of  early 
and  complete  success.  While  he  was  still  in  the  Theological 
Seminary,  two  vestrymen  from  the  Church  of  the  Advent  in 
Philadelphia  came  to  hear  this  six-foot-four  boy  preach,  at 

167 


[XII-s]       CHRISTIAN  STANDARDS  IN  LIFE 

a  tremendous  rate  of  speed,  a  searching  sermon  to  the  con- 
gregation of  Sharon  Mission.  They  felt  the  magic  touch. 
The  Church  of  the  Advent  held  their  young  preacher  only 
three  years,  and  never  after  was  he  free  from  calls  to  other 
fields.  He  was  just  twenty-seven  when  he  became  rector  of 
the  Church  of  the  Holy  Trinity,  the  leader  of  a  parish  hardly 
excelled  in  America  in  dignity  and  influence.  The  people 
crowded  his  church  Sunday  after  Sunday,  the  membership 
increased  with  wonderful  rapidity,  and  every  branch  of  the 
work  took  on  new  vigor.  At  the  same  time,  by  virtue  of  his 
position  and  influence,  the  young  minister  was  called  on 
equal  terms  into  the  councils  of  the  mature  leaders  of  the 
civil,  social,  and  religious  life  of  the  great  city.  The  veteran, 
Dr.  Alexander  H.  Vinton,  heard  him  preach  and  quietly  re- 
marked, "He  preaches  better  sermons  than  I  did  at  his  age, 
or  have  ever  preached  since." 

Though  Boston  welcomed  Phillips  Brooks  with  open  arms, 
it  was  felt  that  the  temperament  of  New  England  would  be 
an  insurmountable  obstacle  in  the  way  of  the  continuance  of 
such  dazzling  success;  but  the  prophets  of  failure  were 
wrong.  Men  and  women  of  every  Christian  denomination 
and  every  situation  in  life  flocked  to  his  preaching  in  Trinity 
Church ;  and  schools,  colleges,  patriotic  organizations,  char- 
itable institutions,  and  religious  societies  contended  for  the 
possession  of  every  moment  of  time  that  could  be  spared 
from  exacting  parish  duties. 

Never  man  courted  notoriety  less.  Indeed,  early  in  the 
heady  times  of  new  popularity  he  tried  to  escape  into  a  pro- 
fessorship in  the  Philadelphia  Divinity  School ;  but  the  people 
would  have  none  of  it ;  they  demanded  his  presence  in  the 
pulpit.  And  he  kept  to  his  great  mission.  Invitations  to  lec- 
ture, or  to  contribute  essays  or  poems  to  the  magazines,  he 
steadily  refused.  He  could  not  spare  the  time  from  what 
was  for  him  the  central  task.  In  one  of  the  note-books  kept 
so  sedulously  through  his  long  and  busy  life  of  public  service 
he  wrote  quite  early  in  life :  "The  man  was  going  somewhere 
else  and  sat  down  for  a  moment  on  the  lowest  step  of  the 

i68 


JOY  AND  FREEDOM  IN  RELIGION      [XII-s] 

Temple  of  Fame,  which  is  work ;  and  Fame  opened  the  door 
and  called  him  in,  to  his  surprise." 

It  seems  as  if  there  was  no  group  of  humanity  that  did  not 
feel  the  spell  of  this  vigorous  soul.  It  was  no  new  Gospel 
he  preached.  Never  did  he  admit  there  was  any  slavery  in 
holding  to  the  fundamental  doctrines  of  Christianity;  he 
gloried  in  them,  and  pointed  out  that  the  only  way  to  free- 
dom lay  through  them.  But  there  was  here  a  new  personality, 
and  the  old  Gospel  was  preached  in  a  new  way.  He  himself 
has  said  that  preaching  "has  two  essential  elements,  truth 
and  personalit3^"  The  message  and  the  man  cannot  be  sepa- 
rated in  Phillips  Brooks. 

We  are  to  trace  a  great  standard  that  this  man  had  set  up 
in  his  life.  No  great  character  can  be  summarized  in  a  word. 
But  there  was  one  principle,  whose  comprehension  was  real- 
ized only  through  serious  struggle,  that  organized  and  directed 
throughout  the  years  of  service  the  varied  and  singular  nat- 
ural powers  of  this  prince  among  American  preachers. 

II 

Phillips  Brooks'  father  came  from  a  stock  that  bred  men  and 
women  who,  like  Abou  Ben  Adhem,  would  ask  the  angel  to 
write  them  down  among  those  who  loved  their  fellowmen. 
On  the  other  hand,  the  mother  brought  to  her  son  the  impulse 
to  turn  ever  and  always  to  God.  Through  her  whole  life 
the  spiritual  welfare  of  her  sons  was  her  chief  concern. 
The  two  tendencies  lay  side  by  side  in  the  character  of  the 
future  preacher. 

During  Phillips  Brooks'  college  course  at  Harvard,  the  first 
waves  of  what  we  now  call  "religious  doubt"  were  sweeping 
over  the  intellectual  world.  The  Oxford  Movement  in  Eng- 
land was  stirring  men  in  a  strange  way,  raising  anew  the 
great  queries,  What  is  Christianity?  What  is  the  Church? 
and  in  Boston  its  influence  met  the  "disturbing"  stream  of 
some  of  the  great  liberal  preachers  of  the  day.  But  there 
is  nothing  on  record  to  show  that  he  ever  worried  much  over 

169 


[XII-s]       CHRISTIAN  STANDARDS  IN  LIFE 

his  beliefs.  He  did  not  join  the  rehgious  society,  the  Chris- 
tian Brethren ;  nor  did  he  put  himself  in  the  way  of  direct 
religious  influence  of  any  kind.  He  carried  through  college, 
as  he  carried  through  life,  an  independence  of  mind  and  a 
great  reserve  of  heart  that  forbade  alike  any  yielding  to  an 
outward  authority  in  books  or  any  sharing  with  another  the 
deeper  experiences  of  his  own  life. 

Though  he  never  led  his  class,  his  intellectual  interest  was 
startled  wide  awake;  and,  better  than  securing  mere  marks, 
he  made  himself  the  possessor  of  a  sound  knowledge  of  the 
classic  languages,  German,  and  French,  while  his  interest  in 
human  achievement  showed  itself  in  his  passion  for  history 
as  a  record  of  the  experience  of  the  race. 

After  he  had  failed  ignominiously,  under  very  trying  cir- 
cumstances, as  a  teacher  in  the  Boston  Latin  School,  he 
faced  anew  the  question  of  choosing  his  life-work.  His 
failure  as  a  school-teacher  does  not  account  for  the  strain 
and  stress  of  the  period  that  followed.  The  truth  was  that 
the  deeper  spiritual  issues  of  his  life  had  not  been  settled. 
There  lay  in  his  mind  the  deadly  fear  that,  by  giving  himself 
to  the  cause  of  Christ,  he  would  be  turning  his  back  on  the 
great  intellectual  interests  of  his  life.  "Intellectual"  is  an 
unfortunate  word  here,  for  many  interpret  it  too  narrowly; 
with  him  it  meant  a  great  appreciation  of  mankind's  widest 
interests.  Thus  it  seemed  to  him  that  Christ  was  on  one  side, 
and  the  high  things  of  the  mind  on  the  other:  he  must  choose 
between  them. 

He  entered  the  Alexandria  Theological  Seminary  really  as 
an  experiment;  he  was  just  feeling  his  way.  But  a  fine  con- 
fidence had  taken  possession  of  him.  Here  are  the  words  in 
his  note-book  written  just  before  he  left  home  for  the  Semi- 
nary :  "As  we  pass  from  some  experience  to  some  experiment, 
from  a  tried  to  an  untried  scene  of  life,  it  is  as  when  we  turn 
to  a  new  page  in  a  book  we  have  never  read  before,  but  whose 
author  we  know  and  love  and  trust  to  give  us  on  every  page 
words  of  counsel  and  purity  and  strengthening  virtue." 

It  was  not  plain  sailing  at  the  Seminary.     His  classmates 
170 


JOY  AND  FREEDOM  IN  RELIGION      [XII-s] 

never  forgot  the  prayers  of  Phillips  Brooks ;  but  he  was 
himself  thoroughly  disgusted  with  the  large  number  of  pious 
fellows  who  were  always  at  prayer  meeting,  but  never  had 
their  Greek  lessons  prepared.  The  intellectual  standard  at 
the  Seminary  was  not  high  at  that  time,  and  only  one 
instructor  seems  to  have  attracted  him  at  all.  But  forward 
he  went  step  by  step.  If  no  one  was  to  help  him  he  must 
help  himself.  He  buried  himself  in  the  classic  writers  and 
learned  sanity;  he  sat  at  the  feet  of  the  early  Church  Fathers 
and  discovered  all  that  they  had  to  teach  him  of  the  spirit- 
ual struggles  of  mankind;  he  eagerly  read  the  great  writers 
of  his  ov*'n  day  so  that  he  might  know  the  world  in  which  he 
lived.  Then  he  patiently  waited  God's  good  time.  As  he 
advanced  along  his  chosen  path,  he  found  that  there  were  no 
longer  two  paths  before  him,  but  one ;  and  Christ  discovered 
Himself  as  ready  to  use  Phillips  Brooks'  mind  to  the  full, 
and  as  able  to  open  up  great  undreamed  of  fields  of  intel- 
lectual enterprise. 

So  it  was  that  certainty  came.  And  in  his  first  sermon, 
written  toward  the  end  of  his  course  in  the  seminary,  he  pro- 
claims the  solution  of  his  life.  '"The  first  clear  note  which 
he  strikes  is  the  deep  conviction  that  all  roads  lead  to  Christ, 
all  the  great  positive,  valuable  lines  of  human  activity."  In  his 
own   fine   words, 

"There  is  no  truth  from  which  even  man's  theoretical  ad- 
herence hangs  aloof  as  it  does  from  this  of  the  necessary  sub- 
mission of  the  whole  intellectual  manhood  to  the  obedience  of 
Christ.  .  .  .  Now  if  God  seriously  meant  man  might  reach 
that  Way  and  Truth,  He  gave  no  faculty  that  might  not 
struggle  for  it." 

That  fine  intellectual  impulse,  which  was  also  a  humanita- 
rian impulse,  never  flagged.  He  never  quite  got  over  the  desire 
to  become  a  teacher.  The  people  refused  to  allow  him  tO' 
leave  the  pulpit  for  the  professor's  chair  in  Philadelphia. 
Long  afterward  Harvard  pressed  him  to  become  professor  of 
Moral  Philosophy,  and  the  old  passion  flamed  up  again;  but 

171 


[XII-s]       CHRISTIAN  STANDARDS  IN  LIFE 

he  put  it  aside.  Throughout  his  whole  Hfe  he  set  himself 
hard  scholarly  tasks  and  his  congregation  reaped  the  reward. 

The  developing  experience  of  PhiUips  Brooks  had  con- 
vinced him  that  there  was  no  antagonism  between  Christ 
and  the  intellectual  interests  of  man.  It  was  then  only  a 
step  to  the  fuller  conviction  that  every  power  may  be  used 
by  God.  At  once  he  clearly  defined  the  Christian  life  as  no 
thing  apart,  but  the  consecration  of  every  faculty  to  the 
service  of  Christ. 

The  impression  he  made  was  an  impression  of  harmony  of 
character  and  powers,  and  of  great  personal  ease  and  natural- 
ness. A  Boston  critic  wrote  with  enthusiasm:  "It  is  the 
whole  man — mentally,  morally,  and  spiritually,  leader,  helper, 
friend— which  is  attaining  such  preeminence."  He  inherited 
the  fine  inner  qualities  of  his  Puritan  ancestors,  but  he  did 
not  care  for  their  long  faces.  The  ultra-clerical  appearance 
and  manner  were  to  him  in  early  days  stumbling  blocks  in 
the  way  of  the  ministry ;  he  studiously  avoided  both.  Many 
were  perplexed  by  the  lightness  of  his  manner.  The  moment 
he  stepped  from  the  pulpit  he  put  off  the  robe  of  seriousness, 
and  it  would  be  all  jokes  and  good  humor.  This  did  jar  on 
many  people.  But  he  always  insisted  that  all  life  is  God's, 
and  the  humor  and  joy  of  it  is  His  as  much  as  the  deeper 
moods.  He  used  to  tell  the  children  in  Sunday  school  that  it 
was  great  fun  to  be  a  minister. 

So  this  great  preacher  began  his  ministry  mastered  by  a 
vivid  realization  of  the  easily  obscured  truth  that  all  life  is 
God's,  that  men's  highest  and  best  interests  are  not  sacrificed, 
but  expanded  and  deepened,  in  the  service  of  the  Master. 

Ill 

To  really  apprehend  this  principle  a  man  must  apply  it  in 
a  very  skeptical  world.  Phillips  Brooks  did  not  shrink  from 
the  practical  application. 

He  began  by  assuming  that  his  message  was  directed  to 
the  whole  life  of  men,  and  he  urged  its  acceptance  by  the 

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JOY  AND  FREEDOM  IN  RELIGION      [XII-s] 

whole  man.  His  constant  plea  was :  "Pray  for  and  work  for 
fullness  of  life  above  everything;  full  red  blood  in  the  body; 
full  honesty  and  truth  in  the  mind;  and  the  fullness  of  a 
grateful  love  for  the  Saviour  in  your  heart."  He  would 
have  religious  men  take  care  to  be  wise  and  good,  to  be  all 
with  God.  He  protests  against  any  attempt  to  divide  up 
human  personality.  Speaking  of  a  great  person  in  history, 
he  dwells  upon  the  unity  of  the  noble  souls.    He  says : 

"The  fact  is  in  all  the  simplest  characters  the  lines  between 
the  mental  and  the  moral  is  always  vague  and  indistinct. 
They  run  together,  and  in  their  best  combination  you  are 
unable  to  discriminate,  in  the  wisdom  which  is  their  result^ 
how  much  is  moral  and  how  much  is  intellectual." 

This  principle  of  his  was  tried  out  in  the  fire.  It  is  com- 
mon knowledge  how  during  the  last  century  the  world  was 
plunged  into  a  spiritual  panic  over  a  flurry  in  philosophy  and 
the  wide  exploitation  of  scientific  discoveries.  Some  eagerly 
allied  themselves  with  everything  new  and  cast  off  the  old. 
Many  others  determined  to  have  nothing  but  the  old.  Stead- 
ily Phillips  Brooks  insisted  that  we  must  have  all  the  truth 
and  that  all  truth  must  fit  together  somehow.  He  was  calm 
in  the  storm. 

In  these  trying  days  he  was  ready  with  his  sympathy  for 
all  who  were  in  difficulty  and  did  not  withhold  it  from  those 
who  were  actually  making  many  difficulties.  He  pleaded  for 
freedom,  both  for  those  of  his  own  mind  and  those  with 
whom  he  disagreed. 

This  was  no  weak-kneed  tolerance — that  contemptible 
bowing-and-scraping  intellectuality  that  is  too  modest  to  have 
an  opinion.  Vigorously  did  the  preacher  protest  against  "the 
loose  tolerance  which  men  praise,  which  is  negative,  which 
cares  nothing  about  what  is  absolutely  true  or  false."  He 
looked  for  a  day  when  we  may  see  some  "maturer  type  of 
Christianity,  in  which  new  ages  of  positive  faith  may  be 
filled  with  the  broadest  sympathy,  and  men  tolerate  their 
brethren  without  enfeebling  themselves." 

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[XII-s]       CHRISTIAN  STANDARDS  IN  LIFE 

But  an  attitude  of  tolerance  could  not  be  the  resting-place 
for  a  leader  of  men  such  as  the  man  we  are  studying.  In- 
significant units  in  the  human  race  may  often  keep  still  with 
great  effect  in  critical  times,  but  one  of  the  great  outstanding 
preachers  of  his  day  could  hardly  follow  the  "safe  and  sane" 
policy.  The  people  came  to  him  for  help  and  he  was  there  to 
give  that  help.  How  well  he  knew  their  needs!  They  came 
to  him  in  private  by  the  thousand  and  opened  their  souls. 
After  he  had  become  a  bishop  one  of  his  friends  wished  him 
to  protect  his  time  from  the  many  calls  for  personal  inter- 
views, and  Phillips  Brooks  answered  quickly,  "God  save  the 
day  when  they  won't  come  to  me."  He  spent  much  valuable 
time  reading  the  books  "that  every  one  was  reading"  so  that 
he  would  know  "every  one's"  thoughts.  He  was  ready  with 
his  help  in  those  difficult  days. 

The  human  soul  in  its  relation  to  God  had  been  his  study. 
The  human  person  was  in  his  mind  one  whole.  He  had 
indeed  tried  to  grasp  "not  the  new,  nor  the  old,  but  the 
eternal."  The  world  needed  not  new  proofs  of  things  in  the 
abstract  but  new  demonstrations  of  personal  power.  Doc- 
trines were  to  him  the  expression  of  actual  experiences  of 
real  human  beings,  and  he  tried  to  make  them  mean  some- 
thing in  the  light  of  the  new  experience  through  which  the 
people  were  passing. 

They  were  saying  all  about  him  that  each  individual  was 
his  own  absolute  authority  in  religion.  They  were  saying 
that  the  abstract  truth  of  what  Christ  had  said  was  all  that 
mattered,  and  it  would  have  been  all  the  same  if  Pilate  or 
Nero  had  happened  to  say  it.  Others  were  urging  the  return 
to  peace  by  giving  up  independent  judgment  entirely  and 
committing  everything  to  an  external  authority.  Others  again 
were  showing  such  wonders  of  human  discovery  that  it 
seemed  as  if  God  could  be  left  out  altogether,  or  used  just 
as  a  symbol  for  spiritual  exercise. 

But  Phillips  Brooks  would  not  discuss  one  part  of  life  as 
if  it  were  the  whole.  He  never  allowed  himself  to  be  drawn 
into  side  issues.     He  saw  the  futihty  of  argument.     In  this 

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JOY  AND  FREEDOM  IN  RELIGION      [XII-s] 

crisis  he  asked  men  to  come  with  him  to  a  high  ground ;  and 
the  little  storms  were  seen  to  be  breaking  far  below  while 
the  calm,  eternal  sunlight  played  all  about  them.  The  climax 
of  his  message  may  be  found  in  the  book  "The  Infliience  of 
Jesus."  The  principles  there  discovered  had  actually  been 
developed  long  before,  and  they  run  like  golden  threads 
through  everything  he  did ;  but  in  this  book  they  are  gathered 
up  together.  This  man  was  a  great  strong  man  himself, 
full  of  interest  and  joy  in  life,  ever  an  eager  student  of  per- 
sons, deeply  convinced  that  the  ties  that  bind  person  to  per- 
son are  the  strongest  ties  in  the  universe,  and  that  the  most 
valuable  things  in  life  are  passed  from  one  person  to  another 
in  the  influence  of  the  whole  nature  of  one  upon  the  whole 
nature  of  another.  Early  in  life  his  own  experience  had 
taught  him  plainly  enough  the  peculiar  power  of  personality. 
When  a  strong  and  humble  man  has  swayed  thousands,  he 
knows  that  there  is  something  more  than  words  in  real  power. 

So  he  asked  men  to  come  with  him  and  learn  to  know  the 
Character  in  history  who  had  set  going  in  the  world  a  per- 
sonal power  greater  than  anything  else.  It  is  impossible  here 
to  give  even  in  outline  the  great  teaching  in  which  Phillips 
Brooks  shows  how  the  best  of  all  life  is  gathered  up  in  Christ. 
To  him  Jesus  was  a  strong  and  harmonious  character,  a  real 
personality,  human  and  divine,  as  real  in  his  humanity  as  in 
his  divinity. 

In  the  earher  pages  of  "The  Influence  of  Jesus"  this  pas- 
sage may  be  found : 

"The  message  entrusted  to  the  Son  of  God  when  He  came 
to  be  the  Saviour  of  mankind  was  not  only  something  which 
He  knew  and  taught ;  it  was  something  which  He  was.  .  .  . 
The  idea  and  the  person  are  so  mingled  that  we  cannot  sep- 
arate them.  He  is  the  truth,  and  whoever  receives  Him  be- 
comes the  son  of  God."  The  message  closes :  "The  idea  of 
Jesus  is  the  illumination  and  the  inspiration  of  existence. 
Without  it  moral  life  becomes  a  barren  expediency,  and 
social  life  a  hollow  shell,  and  emotional  life  a  meaningless 
excitement,  and  intellectual  life  an  idle  play  or  stupid  drudg- 

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[XII-s]       CHRISTIAN  STANDARDS  IN  LIFE 

ery.  Without  it  the  world  is  a  puzzle  and  death  a  horror, 
and  eternity  a  blank.  More  and  more  it  shines,  the  only  hope 
of  what  without  it  is  all  darkness.  More  and  more  the  wild, 
sad,  frightened  cries  of  men  who  believe  nothing,  and  the 
calm,  earnest,  patient  prayers  of  men  who  believe  so  much 
that  they  long  for  perfect  faith,  seem  to  blend  into  a  great 
appeal  which  Philip  of  Bethsaida  made  to  Jesus  at  the  Last 
Supper  .  .  .  'Lord,  show  us  the  Father  and  it  sufficeth  us,' 
and  more  and  more  the  only  answer  to  the  appeal  seems  to 
come  from  the  same  blessed  Hps  that  answered  Philip,  the 
lips  of  the  Mediator  Jesus,  who  replies,  'Have  I  been  so  long 
with  you  and  yet  thou  doth  not  know  me?  He  that  hath  seen 
me  hath  seen  the  Father.' " 

For  further  reading — A.  V.  G.  Allen :  "The  Life  of  Phillips 
Brooks." 

Suggestions  for  Thought  and  Discussion 

Is  the  Christian  life  ever  a  narrowing  life? 

Does  being  a  Christian  necessitate  intellectual  hedging? 
Is   joyousness   ever  incompatible   with   being  a   Christian? 
Does  Christianity  take  the  fun  out  of  life? 
What  talents  cannot  a  Christian  use? 

What  did  Phillips  Brooks  believe  Jesus  brings  to  a  man  that 
makes  possible  a   complete   lifef 

Why  are  the  greatest  principles  powerless  fully  to  trans- 
form life?  In  what  sense  is  being  a  Christian  greater  than 
following  the  principles  of  Jesus? 

Does  one  find  a  complete  expression  of  life  in  following  the 
example  of  Jesus? 

Have  we  ever  thought  our  way  into  the  meaning  of  being 
a  friend  with  Jesus?  Have  we  so  known  Jesus  that  we  have 
seen  the  Father? 


176 


